Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed with the National Lotteries Fee to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Image from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution immediately after devices paid out for with funds from the Lottery was faraway from a Cape Town setting up he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in court docket in January.
As outlined by a prosecutor the criminal rates could incorporate fraud, removal of apparatus that were hooked up through the Sheriff and interfering which has a City of Cape Town electrical power meter.
The fees stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil court matter, is looking for to Get better about R2.5-million in unpaid hire, interest, authorized fees and harm to a rented creating in Crete Highway, in the commercial area of Wetton in Cape Town.
The constructing was previously the headquarters on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is also the place a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s hundreds of years-previous minstrel culture was supposedly functioning.
Convicted felony Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution for theft and fraud soon after tools compensated for with Lottery funds was removed from a Cape City developing.
Stemmet was arrested because of the Specialised Commercial Criminal offense Device on sixteen Oct 2024 and instructed to seem from the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court within the working day even so the matter wasn't put on the court docket roll as the investigating officer didn't provide the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court in January.
The legal charges stem from a complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who's trying to find to Get well about R2.five-million in unpaid lease, interest, lawful charges and damage to a rented developing in Crete Highway, in the commercial region of Wetton in Cape Town.
The developing was previously the headquarters of the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s hundreds of years-previous minstrel lifestyle was supposedly working.
The premises also housed numerous corporations owned by Stemmet, whom police have called a prescription drugs large flier. Amid the companies Stemmet ran in the premises ended up a hat production firm plus a nightclub. Stemmet has actually been arrested numerous situations for gun and drug-associated offences and served time for armed theft in the 1980s.
In accordance with 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 nonetheless to get offered using a demand sheet, achievable expenses, incorporate fraud, removal of kit that had been hooked up through the Sheriff, and interfering which has a City of Cape City electrical energy meter, Based on an electronic mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor dealing with the matter.
A grant of almost R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Element of over R64-million in Lottery money allocated on the CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of the money - over R54.three-million - paid from the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 money yrs, according to Countrywide Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual reviews.
Stemmet was appointed a director in the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ตรวจ หวย ผล สลากกินแบ่ง รัฐบาล งวด as two of quite a few administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed being a director in 2021.
As outlined by Meuwese, the making was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth Company of which Stemmet was considered one of the directors. The corporation was deregistered by the Companies and Mental House Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in submitting yearly reports.
A new entity Together with the exact name was subsequently registered as a private business, but with Stemmet no longer a director, Based on CIPC information. As an alternative, a member of the family, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk had been appointed as administrators.
To the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the subsequent morning, the Crete Highway premises were being cleared as well as machinery was eliminated, Based on an affidavit by Meuwese. The equipment was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent during the Athlone industrial location, which housed numerous of Stemmet’s companies in addition to a new “minstrel museum”, In line with a leaked investigative report commissioned from the NLC. The investigator also photographed the devices at The brand new premises.
Nonetheless, the intended new museum web-site, like the previous one particular in Wetton, was very well faraway from any of Cape Town’s tourist routes and readers couldn't accessibility it. There was no signage within the constructing indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s organizations vacated the premises earlier this calendar year immediately after he fell sick.
The funding to establish a museum wasn't the sole lottery grant the CTMCA obtained. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC to begin with refused to expose who had obtained Covid funding but eventually relented under media and parliamentary stress.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-income entities connected to Stemmet and his spouse and children and his associates consist of R1.four-million for the Cape Cultural Carnival and Events Committee in 2019/twenty, and an additional R500,000 in 2021/22, In line with NLC yearly reviews. Stemmet is really a previous director with the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is currently a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, which can be registered at the CTMCA’s former Crete Highway workplaces, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and design and style programme”. However, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC lifted questions on exceptional stories related to earlier funding obtained through the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding obtained through the CTMCA.
Also beneath investigation can be a R1-million payment with the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which consequently paid R500,000 of the to attorneys acting in the acquisition of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted for a conduit for an additional R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, an organization by which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, to the purchase of the mansion. Zibsimanzi gained R4.8-million to stage a rural soccer Match in Limpopo following Letwaba personally proposed that the grant be paid out to his spouse’s enterprise.
GroundUp sent queries to Stemmet by means of SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.