“Pot” Stemmet faces prices over theft of Lottery-funded products
“Pot” Stemmet faces prices over theft of Lottery-funded products
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed from the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photograph from an investigative report commissioned via the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution soon after gear paid out for with resources from your Lottery was removed from a Cape Town setting up he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in courtroom in January.
According to a prosecutor the criminal expenses could contain fraud, removal of kit that had been attached because of the Sheriff and interfering which has a Town of Cape Town electric power meter.
The costs stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a very civil court docket subject, is in search of to Get better above R2.five-million in unpaid rent, curiosity, authorized prices and damage to a rented creating in Crete Street, in the commercial space of Wetton in Cape Town.
The creating was Earlier the headquarters of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is in which a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-aged minstrel society was supposedly operating.
Convicted prison Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution for theft and fraud right after products paid out for with Lottery resources was removed from a Cape City making.
Stemmet was arrested with the Specialised Industrial Criminal offense Device on 16 October 2024 and told to seem in the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom around the working day nevertheless the make any difference 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 prices stem from the grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is trying to get to Get well about R2.5-million in unpaid hire, fascination, legal expenses and harm to a rented developing in Crete Highway, in the economic location of Wetton in Cape City.
The making was Earlier the headquarters with the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (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 numerous businesses owned by Stemmet, whom police have called a medication superior flier. Among the companies Stemmet ran from your premises had been a hat production firm in addition to a nightclub. Stemmet has actually been arrested several instances for gun and drug-connected offences and served time for armed robbery inside the 1980s.
Based on an SMS sent to Meuwese by the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in courtroom on 30 January 2025.
Although Stemmet is but to become introduced that has a cost sheet, achievable charges, include fraud, removal of kit that had been hooked up because of the Sheriff, and interfering using a Town of Cape Town electric power meter, In line with an electronic mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the make a difference.
A grant of virtually R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Component of in excess of R64-million in Lottery resources allotted towards the CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the majority of the money - about R54.three-million - paid inside the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary many years, In line with National Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual studies.
Stemmet was appointed a director from the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued หวย ลาว ออก วัน นี้ สด as two of numerous administrators in the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed to be a director in 2021.
Based on Meuwese, the building was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth Company of which Stemmet was among the administrators. The organization was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Property Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing yearly reports.
A whole new entity with the identical title was subsequently registered as A non-public corporation, but with Stemmet now not a director, according to CIPC information. As a substitute, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk ended up appointed as directors.
Around the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the subsequent early morning, the Crete Road premises were cleared as well as the machinery was eradicated, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The machines was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent while in the Athlone industrial location, which housed several of Stemmet’s companies and also a new “minstrel museum”, In keeping with a leaked investigative report commissioned with the NLC. The investigator also photographed the gear at The brand new premises.
However, the supposed new museum internet site, such as old one particular in Wetton, was perfectly clear of any of Cape City’s vacationer routes and people couldn't entry it. There was no signage to the developing 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 was not the only lottery grant the CTMCA acquired. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC originally refused to expose who had been given Covid funding but last but not least relented under media and parliamentary strain.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-income entities linked to Stemmet and his relatives and his associates contain R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Functions Committee in 2019/twenty, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, As outlined by NLC annual studies. Stemmet is often a previous director on the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is at present a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Association, that is registered in the CTMCA’s previous Crete Street offices, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and structure programme”. However, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld after the NLC elevated questions on remarkable studies associated with previously funding received with the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding acquired because of the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is often a R1-million payment by the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn paid R500,000 of this to legal professionals performing in the purchase of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted to be a conduit for an extra R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a corporation where the wife of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, to the acquisition from the mansion. Zibsimanzi received R4.eight-million to phase a rural soccer tournament in Limpopo following Letwaba Individually encouraged the grant be compensated to his wife’s company.
GroundUp despatched queries to Stemmet by way of SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.