Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed from the Countrywide Lotteries Fee to investigate the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photo from an investigative report commissioned through the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution immediately after machines paid out for with money within the Lottery was faraway from a Cape City building he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in court in January.
As outlined by a prosecutor the felony fees could contain fraud, removal of apparatus that had been connected by the Sheriff and interfering that has a Metropolis of Cape City electric power meter.
The charges stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil court issue, is trying to get to recover more than R2.5-million in unpaid rent, interest, legal costs and harm to a rented building in Crete Highway, in the economic place of Wetton in Cape Town.
The developing was previously the headquarters of your Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is where by a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-outdated minstrel culture was supposedly running.
Convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution for theft and fraud soon after gear paid out for with Lottery resources was faraway from a Cape Town constructing.
Stemmet was arrested by the Specialised Industrial Criminal offense Device on sixteen Oct 2024 and explained to to appear inside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom to the working day though the make any difference wasn't put on the courtroom roll because the investigating officer didn't supply the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court in January.
The prison prices stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is in search of to Recuperate over R2.five-million in unpaid hire, fascination, legal expenditures and damage to a rented making in Crete Road, in the commercial area of Wetton in Cape Town.
The setting up was previously the headquarters with the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s hundreds of years-outdated minstrel society was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed a number of firms owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have referred to as a medicine superior flier. Among the the companies Stemmet ran within the premises were being a hat producing corporation and also a nightclub. Stemmet has actually been arrested numerous occasions for gun and drug-related offences and served time for armed theft within the nineteen eighties.
As outlined by an SMS sent to Meuwese because of the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court on thirty January 2025.
Even though Stemmet is but to get offered by using a cost sheet, achievable costs, consist of fraud, removal of kit that had been attached via the Sheriff, and interfering which has a Metropolis of Cape City electric power meter, In line with an email despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the subject.
A grant of almost R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was part of a lot more than R64-million in Lottery resources allocated on the CTMCA between 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of the money - in excess of R54.three-million - paid out during the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary many years, In accordance with National Lotteries Commission (NLC) yearly reviews.
Stemmet was appointed a director from the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ruay as two of several administrators of your organisation. Stemmet was reappointed being a director in 2021.
As outlined by Meuwese, the constructing 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 annual reports.
A completely new entity With all the exact identify was subsequently registered as A personal enterprise, but with Stemmet no longer a director, Based on CIPC data. Rather, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk have been appointed as administrators.
About the night of twelve April 2021 and into the subsequent early morning, the Crete Street premises have been cleared as well as the equipment was eliminated, In line with an affidavit by Meuwese. The machines was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent in the Athlone industrial space, which housed a number of of Stemmet’s enterprises plus a new “minstrel museum”, In keeping with a leaked investigative report commissioned from the NLC. The investigator also photographed the products at The brand new premises.
On the other hand, the meant new museum site, just like the old one in Wetton, was perfectly clear of any of Cape City’s tourist routes and readers couldn't accessibility it. There was no signage on the building indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises previously this year soon after he fell ill.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the only lottery grant the CTMCA been given. In 2021, the association was allocated R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC initially refused to reveal who had gained Covid funding but finally relented below media and parliamentary strain.
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 Gatherings Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC once-a-year stories. Stemmet can be a former director of your 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 to get a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Nevertheless, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC raised questions about superb reviews connected to earlier funding acquired via the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding received through the CTMCA.
Also beneath investigation is usually a R1-million payment by the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which subsequently compensated R500,000 of the to attorneys acting in the purchase of the R27-million mansion for former NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted as being a conduit for an extra R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a firm through which the wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in the direction of the acquisition in the mansion. Zibsimanzi been given R4.8-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo right after Letwaba Individually recommended 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.