“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, remaining, and an investigator appointed from the National Lotteries Commission to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photo from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution following devices paid out for with resources from the Lottery was removed from a Cape Town making he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in court in January.
In keeping with a prosecutor the criminal prices could include things like fraud, elimination of apparatus that were hooked up because of the Sheriff and interfering by using a City of Cape Town electrical energy meter.
The fees stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, within a civil court subject, is in search of to Get better in excess of R2.five-million in unpaid rent, fascination, lawful prices and damage to a rented making in Crete Road, in the commercial place of Wetton in Cape City.
The building was Beforehand the headquarters in the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) which is where by a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s generations-outdated minstrel lifestyle was supposedly working.
Convicted legal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution for theft and fraud just after machines paid out for with Lottery cash was removed from a Cape City setting up.
Stemmet was arrested by the Specialised Industrial Criminal offense Device on 16 October 2024 and informed to look during the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court docket over the working day even so the issue was not placed on the court docket roll because the investigating officer didn't deliver the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom in January.
The criminal rates stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who is trying to find to recover about R2.5-million in unpaid hire, fascination, legal fees and damage to a rented developing in Crete Road, in the industrial place of Wetton in Cape Town.
The creating was Formerly the headquarters of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s generations-outdated minstrel tradition was supposedly working.
The premises also housed various enterprises owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have described as a medicine substantial flier. Amongst the companies Stemmet ran with the premises had been a hat producing company plus a nightclub. Stemmet continues to be arrested various situations for gun and drug-associated offences and served time for armed robbery inside the 1980s.
As outlined by an SMS sent to Meuwese with the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court on thirty January 2025.
Whilst Stemmet is however to become introduced that has a charge sheet, achievable fees, incorporate fraud, elimination of apparatus that were attached by the Sheriff, and interfering which has a Town of Cape City electricity meter, Based on an electronic mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the make any difference.
A grant of just about R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Element of in excess of R64-million in Lottery money allocated for the CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of the money - about R54.three-million - paid out in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 financial many years, As outlined by National Lotteries Fee (NLC) yearly reports.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing cat888 as two of quite a few administrators from the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed to be a director in 2021.
In keeping with Meuwese, the setting up was leased to Stalph 164, a close Company of which Stemmet was certainly one of the administrators. The company was deregistered by the Companies and Mental Home Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing once-a-year reviews.
A completely new entity Together with the exact identify was subsequently registered as A personal business, but with Stemmet not a director, In line with CIPC documents. In its place, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were being appointed as administrators.
Around the night of twelve April 2021 and into the next early morning, the Crete Street premises were cleared and also the equipment was taken out, In accordance with an affidavit by Meuwese. The equipment was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent from the Athlone industrial region, which housed quite a few of Stemmet’s firms and a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned from the NLC. The investigator also photographed the products at The brand new premises.
Having said that, the meant new museum site, just like the old one in Wetton, was nicely away from any of Cape City’s tourist routes and site visitors could not entry it. There was no signage over the constructing indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s organizations vacated the premises before this yr following he fell unwell.
The funding to establish a museum wasn't the only lottery grant the CTMCA received. In 2021, the association was allocated R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid aid grants. The NLC at first refused to expose who experienced received Covid funding but last but not least relented less than media and parliamentary stress.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-financial gain entities associated with Stemmet and his family and his associates consist of R1.4-million for the Cape Cultural Carnival and Occasions Committee in 2019/20, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, In keeping with NLC yearly studies. Stemmet can be a former director from the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is currently a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, and that is registered for the CTMCA’s former Crete Highway offices, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an extra R635,000 in 2021/22 for any “craft, woodwork and design programme”. On the other hand, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC elevated questions on excellent studies connected to before funding received with the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained because of the CTMCA.
Also underneath investigation is a R1-million payment by the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which subsequently paid out R500,000 of this to legal professionals acting in the purchase of the R27-million mansion for former NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted as a conduit for an additional R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a business through which the wife of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, towards the acquisition from the mansion. Zibsimanzi received R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer tournament in Limpopo after Letwaba personally proposed that the grant be paid out to his spouse’s company.
GroundUp sent issues to Stemmet via SMS but he had not replied by the time of publication.