“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses about theft of Lottery-funded gear
“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses about theft of Lottery-funded gear
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, remaining, and an investigator appointed because of 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 right after gear paid for with cash with the Lottery was removed from a Cape City making he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in court docket in January.
In keeping with a prosecutor the legal costs could include fraud, elimination of equipment that had been connected by the Sheriff and interfering by using a City of Cape Town electrical energy meter.
The costs stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in the civil court docket subject, is searching for to Get well about R2.five-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, legal costs and harm to a rented setting up in Crete Street, in the commercial location of Wetton in Cape Town.
The setting up was Earlier the headquarters in the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and it is where by a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-previous minstrel society was supposedly working.
Convicted felony Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution for theft and fraud after products compensated for with Lottery resources was removed from a Cape Town constructing.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit on 16 October 2024 and informed to appear inside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court around the day but the make a difference wasn't put on the court roll as the investigating officer didn't provide the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in courtroom in January.
The legal charges stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is searching for to recover about R2.5-million in unpaid lease, desire, legal prices and damage to a rented making in Crete Road, in the commercial space of Wetton in Cape Town.
The constructing was Beforehand the headquarters from the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-aged minstrel society was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed several organizations owned by Stemmet, whom police have described as a medicines large flier. Amid the businesses Stemmet ran in the premises had been a hat producing enterprise and also a nightclub. Stemmet has become arrested numerous times for gun and drug-similar offences and served time for armed robbery in the eighties.
According to an SMS despatched to Meuwese via the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom on thirty January 2025.
Even though Stemmet is nevertheless to be presented by using a cost sheet, probable charges, contain fraud, elimination of apparatus that had been attached through the Sheriff, and interfering by using a City of Cape Town electricity meter, Based on an email despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor dealing with the make a difference.
A grant of just about R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Portion of over R64-million in Lottery resources allocated into the CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017, with the majority of the money - about R54.3-million - paid out in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 fiscal years, In line with Countrywide Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual studies.
Stemmet was appointed a director with the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing หวย วัน นี้ as two of various directors with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as being a director in 2021.
In keeping with Meuwese, the creating was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed Company of which Stemmet was certainly one of the directors. The corporate was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Assets Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing once-a-year stories.
A completely new entity Using the exact same name was subsequently registered as A personal enterprise, but with Stemmet no more a director, As outlined by CIPC information. As an alternative, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were being appointed as directors.
On the night of twelve April 2021 and into the next early morning, the Crete Road premises ended up cleared as well as the equipment was removed, In line with an affidavit by Meuwese. The equipment was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent while in the Athlone industrial space, which housed a number of of Stemmet’s corporations and a new “minstrel museum”, In accordance with a leaked investigative report commissioned because of the NLC. The investigator also photographed the devices at The brand new premises.
Having said that, the meant new museum web-site, similar to the outdated one particular in Wetton, was properly far from any of Cape City’s tourist routes and site visitors couldn't accessibility it. There was no signage around the building indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises earlier this 12 months right after he fell unwell.
The funding to establish a museum was not the one lottery grant that the CTMCA obtained. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid aid grants. The NLC at first refused to reveal who had gained Covid funding but finally relented below media and parliamentary stress.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-income entities connected to Stemmet and his relatives and his associates involve R1.four-million for that Cape Cultural Carnival and Functions Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, according to NLC once-a-year studies. Stemmet is actually a former director with the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is currently a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, that is registered within the CTMCA’s former Crete Street places of work, was allocated R190,000 in 2019/20, and an extra R635,000 in 2021/22 for any “craft, woodwork and structure programme”. Nonetheless, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC lifted questions on outstanding reviews connected with before funding gained via the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained because of the CTMCA.
Also underneath investigation is often a R1-million payment because of the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which consequently paid R500,000 of the to attorneys performing in the acquisition of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted like a conduit for an extra R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a firm during which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, to the purchase with the mansion. Zibsimanzi obtained R4.eight-million to phase a rural soccer tournament in Limpopo soon after Letwaba Individually advised the grant be compensated to his spouse’s business.
GroundUp sent inquiries to Stemmet by using SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.