“Pot” Stemmet faces fees around theft of Lottery-funded tools
“Pot” Stemmet faces fees around theft of Lottery-funded tools
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed from the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Image from an investigative report commissioned with the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution immediately after machines compensated for with cash with the Lottery was removed from a Cape City setting up he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in court docket in January.
In keeping with a prosecutor the felony costs could consist of fraud, elimination of kit that had been connected by the Sheriff and interfering by using a Town of Cape Town electrical power meter.
The fees stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, within a civil courtroom make any difference, is looking for to Recuperate in excess of R2.five-million in unpaid lease, fascination, authorized charges and damage to a rented creating in Crete Street, in the industrial region of Wetton in Cape Town.
The setting up was Beforehand the headquarters with the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) which is the place a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s hundreds of years-previous minstrel tradition was supposedly operating.
Convicted legal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution for theft and fraud following gear compensated for with Lottery resources was removed from a Cape City making.
Stemmet was arrested because of the Specialised Business Crime Unit on sixteen October 2024 and advised to appear from the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court docket within the working day nevertheless the issue wasn't put on the court roll because the investigating officer did not supply the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court docket in January.
The prison costs stem from the grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's searching for to Recuperate more than R2.5-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, authorized charges and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the commercial space of Wetton in Cape City.
The constructing was Earlier the headquarters on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-old minstrel tradition was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed quite a few firms owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have described as a medications superior flier. Among the businesses Stemmet ran from the premises had been a hat manufacturing business plus a nightclub. Stemmet has been arrested several instances for gun and drug-relevant offences and served time for armed robbery inside the 1980s.
In accordance with an SMS sent to Meuwese by the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in courtroom on 30 January 2025.
Though Stemmet is yet to generally be offered with a cost sheet, feasible prices, incorporate fraud, removing of equipment that had been connected via the Sheriff, and interfering having a City of Cape Town electrical power meter, according to an email despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the make any difference.
A grant of just about R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Section of in excess of R64-million in Lottery cash allocated to the CTMCA between 2003 and 2017, with the majority of the money - about R54.3-million - compensated while in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary decades, As outlined by National Lotteries Commission (NLC) once-a-year studies.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued หวย วัน นี้ as two of quite a few directors of your organisation. Stemmet was reappointed being a director in 2021.
In accordance with Meuwese, the setting up was leased to Stalph 164, a close corporation of which Stemmet was amongst the directors. The business was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Assets Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in submitting annual reviews.
A whole new entity While using the exact identify was subsequently registered as A personal corporation, but with Stemmet now not a director, As outlined by CIPC data. Alternatively, a loved one, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk had been appointed as administrators.
About the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the following early morning, the Crete Road premises ended up cleared as well as the equipment was eliminated, according to an affidavit by Meuwese. The products was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent within the Athlone industrial spot, which housed several of Stemmet’s firms in addition to a new “minstrel museum”, In accordance with a leaked investigative report commissioned because of the NLC. The investigator also photographed the machines at The brand new premises.
However, the meant new museum site, just like the old one in Wetton, was well clear of any of Cape City’s tourist routes and guests couldn't accessibility it. There was no signage around the developing indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s businesses vacated the premises previously this year immediately after he fell ill.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the sole 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 reveal who experienced gained Covid funding but lastly relented beneath media and parliamentary force.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-gain entities linked to Stemmet and his loved ones and his associates incorporate R1.4-million to the Cape Cultural Carnival and Functions Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, according to NLC once-a-year stories. Stemmet can be a former director of your committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at present a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, and that is registered on the CTMCA’s previous Crete Road workplaces, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 for a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Nonetheless, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC raised questions about fantastic experiences linked to previously funding been given by the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding been given by the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is really a R1-million payment through the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn compensated R500,000 of the to lawyers performing in the purchase of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted like a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a corporation through which the wife of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, towards the acquisition from the mansion. Zibsimanzi been given R4.8-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo following Letwaba Individually recommended the grant be paid out to his spouse’s company.
GroundUp sent inquiries to Stemmet by using SMS but he experienced not replied by the time of publication.