“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses in excess of theft of Lottery-funded equipment
“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses in excess of theft of Lottery-funded equipment
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed with the National Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned because of the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution immediately after machines paid out for with money from your Lottery was removed from a Cape Town constructing he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in court in January.
In accordance with a prosecutor the criminal charges could contain fraud, removal of equipment that had been hooked up with the Sheriff and interfering using a Town of Cape City energy meter.
The costs stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil court docket make a difference, is looking for to Get well around R2.five-million in unpaid rent, interest, authorized expenditures and damage to a rented setting up in Crete Road, in the economic area of Wetton in Cape City.
The setting up was previously the headquarters from the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is particularly exactly where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s centuries-previous minstrel lifestyle was supposedly working.
Convicted prison Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution for theft and fraud after machines compensated for with Lottery funds was faraway from a Cape City making.
Stemmet was arrested with the Specialised Industrial Criminal offense Unit on sixteen October 2024 and explained to to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom over the working day though the issue wasn't put on the court roll because the investigating officer did not produce the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court in January.
The legal expenses stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is seeking to recover in excess of R2.five-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, authorized prices and damage to a rented making in Crete Street, in the economic space of Wetton in Cape City.
The constructing was Formerly the headquarters from the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s generations-old minstrel society was supposedly running.
The premises also housed many firms owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have described as a medication superior flier. Amongst the companies Stemmet ran in the premises have been a hat producing company as well as a nightclub. Stemmet has long been arrested several instances for gun and drug-relevant offences and served time for armed robbery while in the eighties.
In keeping with an SMS despatched to Meuwese because of the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court on thirty January 2025.
Though Stemmet is yet to generally be introduced using a demand sheet, attainable costs, involve fraud, removal of kit that had been connected through the Sheriff, and interfering with a Metropolis of Cape City electrical power meter, In line with an e mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the matter.
A grant of virtually R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Component of more than R64-million in Lottery funds allotted to the CTMCA among 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - over R54.three-million - paid out while in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 fiscal a long time, As outlined by Nationwide Lotteries Fee (NLC) yearly reviews.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ตรวจ หวย ลาว as two of numerous administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed for a director in 2021.
In line with Meuwese, the developing was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed Company of which Stemmet was certainly one of the administrators. The organization was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Home Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing yearly reports.
A different entity with the identical name was subsequently registered as A non-public corporation, but with Stemmet now not a director, according to CIPC documents. In its place, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were being appointed as administrators.
About the evening of 12 April 2021 and into the subsequent morning, the Crete Highway premises ended up cleared plus the equipment was taken off, In accordance with an affidavit by Meuwese. The equipment was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent while in the Athlone industrial area, which housed quite a few of Stemmet’s organizations and a new “minstrel museum”, In line with a leaked investigative report commissioned via the NLC. The investigator also photographed the gear at The brand new premises.
Having said that, the supposed new museum website, much like the outdated one in Wetton, was effectively from any of Cape Town’s tourist routes and site visitors could not obtain it. There was no signage on the creating indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s organizations vacated the premises earlier this year just after he fell sick.
The funding to determine a museum was not the sole lottery grant which the CTMCA obtained. In 2021, the Affiliation was allocated R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC initially refused to reveal who experienced received Covid funding but last but not least relented under media and parliamentary strain.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-gain entities linked to Stemmet and his loved ones and his associates include things like R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Events Committee in 2019/twenty, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC annual reports. Stemmet is really a previous director with the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is at present a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, which is registered for the CTMCA’s former Crete Highway workplaces, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 to get a “craft, woodwork and design programme”. On the other hand, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC elevated questions on fantastic reports connected with before funding received with the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding obtained through the CTMCA.
Also underneath investigation is usually a R1-million payment from the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn paid out R500,000 of this to lawyers performing in the purchase of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted being a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a corporation wherein the wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in direction of the purchase of your mansion. Zibsimanzi acquired R4.eight-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo immediately after Letwaba personally proposed that the grant be paid out to his spouse’s company.
GroundUp sent issues to Stemmet via SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.