“Pot” Stemmet faces rates more than theft of Lottery-funded machines
“Pot” Stemmet faces rates more than theft of Lottery-funded machines
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed because of the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to investigate the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned because of the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution after tools paid out for with money with the Lottery was faraway from a Cape City constructing he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in courtroom in January.
According to a prosecutor the prison rates could involve fraud, elimination of equipment that were attached by the Sheriff and interfering that has a City of Cape City electric power meter.
The charges stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil court docket make a difference, is seeking to Recuperate over R2.5-million in unpaid lease, interest, authorized prices and damage to a rented setting up in Crete Road, in the commercial area of Wetton in Cape Town.
The creating was Earlier the headquarters of the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is also wherever a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s generations-old minstrel lifestyle was supposedly functioning.
Convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution for theft and fraud right after tools paid out for with Lottery money was removed from a Cape City constructing.
Stemmet was arrested through the Specialised Commercial Criminal offense Device on 16 October 2024 and advised to look during the Wynberg Magistrate’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court over the day but the matter wasn't put on the court roll as the investigating officer did not supply the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court in January.
The felony costs stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's trying to get to recover in excess of R2.5-million in unpaid rent, fascination, authorized expenses and harm to a rented building in Crete Highway, in the economic spot of Wetton in Cape Town.
The developing was Earlier the headquarters from the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s centuries-outdated minstrel culture was supposedly running.
The premises also housed numerous companies owned by Stemmet, whom police have referred to as a medicine higher flier. Amongst the businesses Stemmet ran with the premises were being a hat producing enterprise and a nightclub. Stemmet continues to be arrested many moments for gun and drug-connected offences and served time for armed robbery within the eighties.
In line with an SMS sent to Meuwese by the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in courtroom on 30 January 2025.
Whilst Stemmet is still being presented that has a demand sheet, achievable charges, incorporate fraud, removing of kit that had been attached because of the Sheriff, and interfering which has a Metropolis of Cape City energy meter, As outlined by an email sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the subject.
A grant of just about R13-million to determine the minstrel museum was Element of a lot more than R64-million in Lottery money allocated for the CTMCA in between 2003 and 2017, with the majority of The cash - in excess of R54.three-million - paid inside the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 economic a long time, In accordance with National Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual experiences.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing เช ค หวย as two of many administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed for a director in 2021.
As outlined by Meuwese, the constructing was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed corporation of which Stemmet was certainly one of the administrators. The business was deregistered by the businesses and Intellectual Assets Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing yearly experiences.
A fresh entity with the identical title was subsequently registered as A non-public enterprise, but with Stemmet now not a director, In accordance with CIPC data. Rather, a member of the family, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk have been appointed as directors.
On the night of 12 April 2021 and into the subsequent early morning, the Crete Road premises were being cleared as well as equipment was removed, In accordance with an affidavit by Meuwese. The equipment was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent while in the Athlone industrial location, which housed a number of of Stemmet’s businesses and a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned with the NLC. The investigator also photographed the equipment at The brand new premises.
Nonetheless, the meant new museum web page, just like the old a single in Wetton, was properly from any of Cape Town’s vacationer routes and visitors couldn't entry it. There was no signage over the setting up indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises previously this yr after he fell unwell.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the sole lottery grant which the CTMCA gained. In 2021, the association was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC in the beginning refused to reveal who experienced acquired Covid funding but ultimately relented below media and parliamentary force.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-earnings entities connected to Stemmet and his family members and his associates involve R1.four-million for the Cape Cultural Carnival and Activities Committee in 2019/20, and an additional R500,000 in 2021/22, As outlined by NLC yearly studies. Stemmet can be a former director in the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is currently a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, and that is registered with the CTMCA’s former Crete Street offices, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an extra R635,000 in 2021/22 for the “craft, woodwork and style programme”. Having said that, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC raised questions on excellent studies associated with previously funding been given through the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding acquired because of the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is often a R1-million payment because of 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 like a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a corporation in which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in the direction of the acquisition of your mansion. Zibsimanzi gained R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer tournament in Limpopo following Letwaba Individually advisable which the grant be paid to his spouse’s company.
GroundUp sent inquiries to Stemmet by using SMS but he had not replied by the time of publication.