“Pot” Stemmet faces rates over theft of Lottery-funded products
“Pot” Stemmet faces rates over theft of Lottery-funded products
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed from the Countrywide Lotteries Fee to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photo from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is going through prosecution immediately after devices paid out for with funds within the Lottery was faraway from a Cape Town setting up he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in court docket in January.
As outlined by a prosecutor the criminal rates could include things like fraud, removal of apparatus that were hooked up through the Sheriff and interfering which has a City of Cape Town energy meter.
The charges stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a very civil court docket matter, is searching for to Get well about R2.five-million in unpaid hire, fascination, authorized charges and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the industrial area of Wetton in Cape City.
The making was Earlier the headquarters in the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and it is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s centuries-aged minstrel tradition was supposedly functioning.
Convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution for theft and fraud soon after equipment paid out for with Lottery cash was faraway from a Cape Town creating.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Industrial Crime Unit on 16 October 2024 and instructed to look within the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom within the day nevertheless the issue was not put on the court docket roll since the investigating officer did not produce the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom in January.
The criminal rates stem from a complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is in search of to recover about R2.5-million in unpaid hire, curiosity, lawful fees and harm to a rented developing in Crete Street, in the industrial location of Wetton in Cape City.
The developing was Earlier the headquarters of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s centuries-previous minstrel lifestyle was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed several companies owned by Stemmet, whom police have described as a medicines substantial flier. Between the businesses Stemmet ran from your premises had been a hat manufacturing business and a nightclub. Stemmet has been arrested quite a few periods for gun and drug-relevant offences and served time for armed theft while in the 1980s.
In keeping with an SMS sent to Meuwese via the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom on thirty January 2025.
Though Stemmet is nonetheless to become offered which has a demand sheet, feasible fees, involve fraud, removing of kit that were hooked up via the Sheriff, and interfering with a Town of Cape City energy meter, according to an electronic mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the matter.
A grant of just about R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Portion of over R64-million in Lottery resources allocated to the CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - over R54.three-million - compensated inside the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 financial several years, according to National Lotteries Commission (NLC) yearly experiences.
Stemmet was appointed a director of the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued หวย ลาว ล่าสุด as two of several directors of your organisation. Stemmet was reappointed being a director in 2021.
Based on Meuwese, the making was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed corporation of which Stemmet was among the administrators. The corporation was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Property Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in submitting annual reports.
A fresh entity Together with the very same title was subsequently registered as a private organization, but with Stemmet no longer a director, Based on CIPC information. As an alternative, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were appointed as administrators.
About the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the following early morning, the Crete Road premises were being cleared as well as equipment was eliminated, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The devices was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent inside the Athlone industrial area, which housed various of Stemmet’s businesses in addition to a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned by the NLC. The investigator also photographed the products at The brand new premises.
Nevertheless, the intended new museum web page, like the old one particular in Wetton, was well clear of any of Cape City’s vacationer routes and website visitors could not obtain it. There was no signage on the building indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s businesses vacated the premises before this yr right after he fell unwell.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the only lottery grant the CTMCA received. In 2021, the association was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC at first refused to expose who experienced gained Covid funding but ultimately relented less than media and parliamentary stress.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-financial gain entities associated with Stemmet and his loved ones and his associates involve R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Occasions Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, In line with NLC yearly studies. Stemmet can be a former director from the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is now a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, and that is registered with the CTMCA’s former Crete Highway workplaces, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an extra R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Even so, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC lifted questions about fantastic reports relevant to before funding obtained via the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding received through the CTMCA.
Also beneath investigation is a R1-million payment from the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn compensated R500,000 of the to attorneys acting in the acquisition of a 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 wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in direction of the purchase with the mansion. Zibsimanzi gained R4.8-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo soon after Letwaba Individually suggested the grant be compensated to his wife’s organization.
GroundUp despatched questions to Stemmet through SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.