“Pot” Stemmet faces charges over theft of Lottery-funded products
“Pot” Stemmet faces charges over theft of Lottery-funded products
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed by the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Image from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution right after machines paid for with funds from your Lottery was faraway from a Cape City setting up he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in courtroom in January.
Based on a prosecutor the legal expenses could incorporate fraud, removal of apparatus that were connected with the Sheriff and interfering which has a Town of Cape Town electrical energy meter.
The fees stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, inside of a civil courtroom matter, is looking for to Get well above R2.five-million in unpaid hire, interest, legal expenditures and damage to a rented setting up in Crete Street, in the industrial place of Wetton in Cape City.
The building was previously the headquarters on the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is also exactly where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s hundreds of years-aged minstrel society was supposedly operating.
Convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is going through prosecution for theft and fraud after equipment compensated for with Lottery cash was removed from a Cape City making.
Stemmet was arrested from the Specialised Industrial Crime Device on 16 Oct 2024 and informed to look during the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court docket to the day nevertheless the issue wasn't placed on the courtroom roll as the investigating officer did not provide the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom in January.
The felony rates stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is seeking to Recuperate above R2.5-million in unpaid rent, desire, authorized fees and damage to a rented creating in Crete Road, in the industrial region of Wetton in Cape Town.
The building was Beforehand the headquarters on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s centuries-outdated minstrel tradition was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed many businesses owned by Stemmet, whom police have described as a prescription drugs substantial flier. Amid the businesses Stemmet ran within the premises had been a hat production corporation as well as a nightclub. Stemmet has been arrested numerous moments for gun and drug-relevant offences and served time for armed robbery in the nineteen eighties.
Based on an SMS despatched to Meuwese with the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court on 30 January 2025.
Though Stemmet is however to be introduced with a cost sheet, achievable prices, include things like fraud, removal of apparatus that were attached with the Sheriff, and interfering with a City of Cape Town energy meter, In accordance with an e mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the make any difference.
A grant of almost R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Portion of a lot more than R64-million in Lottery resources allotted on the CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - above R54.3-million - paid during the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 money a long time, Based on Countrywide Lotteries Commission (NLC) yearly reviews.
Stemmet was appointed a director from the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued ruay as two of many administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as being a director in 2021.
According to Meuwese, the constructing 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 Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing annual reports.
A whole new entity Using the identical name was subsequently registered as a private business, but with Stemmet not a director, In accordance with CIPC records. Instead, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were being appointed as directors.
Within the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Highway premises have been cleared plus the machinery was removed, Based on an affidavit by Meuwese. The machines was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent from the Athlone industrial area, which housed various of Stemmet’s companies 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 web page, such as the previous one particular in Wetton, was perfectly clear of any of Cape City’s tourist routes and site visitors could not obtain it. There was no signage to the creating indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s companies vacated the premises before this yr after he fell sick.
The funding to determine a museum was not the one lottery grant which the CTMCA obtained. In 2021, the association was allocated R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC initially refused to reveal who had acquired Covid funding but at last relented under media and parliamentary strain.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-earnings entities connected to Stemmet and his household and his associates include things like R1.four-million for your Cape Cultural Carnival and Activities Committee in 2019/20, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, As outlined by NLC yearly reports. Stemmet is usually a former director of the committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is presently a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, that is registered within the CTMCA’s former Crete Street places of work, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and design and style programme”. Having said that, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld after the NLC raised questions about exceptional studies connected to before funding been given by the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained because of the CTMCA.
Also underneath investigation can be a R1-million payment with the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn compensated R500,000 of this to legal professionals acting in the acquisition of the R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted being a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a corporation through which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, toward the purchase on the mansion. Zibsimanzi received R4.8-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo following Letwaba personally encouraged which the grant be paid to his wife’s organization.
GroundUp sent issues to Stemmet by using SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.