“Pot” Stemmet faces charges above theft of Lottery-funded machines
“Pot” Stemmet faces charges above theft of Lottery-funded machines
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, remaining, and an investigator appointed by the National Lotteries Fee to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned from the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution following equipment paid for with funds through the Lottery was removed from a Cape City setting up he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in courtroom in January.
In accordance with a prosecutor the legal expenses could incorporate fraud, elimination of equipment that had been hooked up via the Sheriff and interfering which has a Metropolis of Cape City electrical power meter.
The charges stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil court make any difference, is looking for to Recuperate more than R2.5-million in unpaid lease, desire, legal fees and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the industrial location of Wetton in Cape City.
The constructing was Beforehand the headquarters from the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is the place a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s centuries-previous minstrel culture was supposedly working.
Convicted prison Richard “Pot” Stemmet is going through prosecution for theft and fraud following gear paid for with Lottery cash was removed from a Cape City building.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Business Crime Device on 16 October 2024 and told to seem while in the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom around the working day even so the matter wasn't put on the court roll because the investigating officer didn't deliver the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court in January.
The legal rates stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's trying to get to Get better above R2.5-million in unpaid rent, interest, legal fees and damage to a rented building in Crete Road, in the economic space of Wetton in Cape Town.
The creating was Formerly the headquarters on the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s generations-previous minstrel lifestyle was supposedly operating.
The premises also housed numerous organizations owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have referred to as a medications high flier. Between the companies Stemmet ran with the premises were a hat manufacturing corporation and a nightclub. Stemmet has become arrested quite a few times for gun and drug-connected offences and served time for armed robbery while in the nineteen eighties.
Based on an SMS despatched to Meuwese from the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court on thirty January 2025.
Though Stemmet is nonetheless being offered using a demand sheet, doable fees, contain fraud, removal of apparatus that were attached by the Sheriff, and interfering which has a Metropolis of Cape City electrical power meter, As outlined by an e-mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the make any difference.
A grant of almost R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Component of more than R64-million in Lottery funds allocated into the CTMCA between 2003 and 2017, with the majority of The cash - more than R54.three-million - paid out from the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 fiscal several years, In line with Countrywide Lotteries Commission (NLC) once-a-year experiences.
Stemmet was appointed a director with the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ruay as two of quite a few administrators on the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed like a director in 2021.
Based on Meuwese, the developing was leased to Stalph 164, a close Company of which Stemmet was amongst the directors. The company was deregistered by the Companies and Mental Assets Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in submitting yearly experiences.
A fresh entity Using the exact identify was subsequently registered as a private organization, but with Stemmet no more a director, according to CIPC information. In its place, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were appointed as directors.
Over the night of twelve April 2021 and into the next early morning, the Crete Highway premises ended up cleared plus the equipment was eliminated, Based on an affidavit by Meuwese. The equipment was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent in the Athlone industrial spot, which housed a number of of Stemmet’s businesses and also a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned with the NLC. The investigator also photographed the equipment at the new premises.
Even so, the meant new museum site, much like the outdated a person in Wetton, was perfectly clear of any of Cape City’s vacationer routes and people couldn't entry it. There was no signage about the creating indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s organizations vacated the premises earlier this 12 months soon after he fell ill.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the sole lottery grant the CTMCA acquired. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC initially refused to reveal who had acquired Covid funding but lastly relented underneath media and parliamentary tension.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-financial gain entities associated with Stemmet and his family members and his associates incorporate R1.4-million to the Cape Cultural Carnival and Gatherings Committee in 2019/twenty, and an additional R500,000 in 2021/22, In keeping with NLC once-a-year stories. Stemmet is often a former director from the committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at this time a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Association, that is registered within 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 style and design programme”. Nevertheless, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC lifted questions about fantastic experiences associated with earlier funding acquired because of the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained via the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is really a R1-million payment from the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn compensated R500,000 of this to lawyers performing in the purchase of the R27-million mansion for former NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted as a conduit for an extra R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a business during which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, to the purchase of the mansion. Zibsimanzi been given R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer Event in Limpopo right after Letwaba Individually recommended 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.