“Pot” Stemmet faces charges above theft of Lottery-funded devices

“Pot” Stemmet faces charges above theft of Lottery-funded devices

Blog Article

Richard “Pot” Stemmet, remaining, and an investigator appointed via the Nationwide Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photograph from an investigative report commissioned with the NLC

Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution following gear compensated for with cash through the Lottery was removed from a Cape City creating he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in courtroom in January.
In line with a prosecutor the criminal prices could incorporate fraud, removing of equipment that had been connected by the Sheriff and interfering by using a Town of Cape Town electrical power meter.
The fees stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, inside a civil court issue, is trying to get to Get better over R2.five-million in unpaid hire, fascination, authorized charges and damage to a rented creating in Crete Road, in the economic space of Wetton in Cape Town.
The developing was previously the headquarters with the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is also exactly where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s centuries-aged minstrel tradition was supposedly functioning.
Convicted legal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution for theft and fraud right after machines paid for with Lottery cash was faraway from a Cape City developing.

Stemmet was arrested with the Specialised Business Criminal offense Device on sixteen Oct 2024 and explained to to appear within the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.

GroundUp attended court around the day however the make a 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 appear in court docket in January.

The felony expenses stem from the grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who is trying to get to Get well more than R2.five-million in unpaid rent, fascination, lawful charges and harm to a rented creating in Crete Highway, in the industrial spot of Wetton in Cape City.

The developing was Formerly the headquarters of your Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s hundreds of years-outdated minstrel lifestyle was supposedly running.

The premises also housed quite a few companies owned by Stemmet, whom police have described as a medication large flier. Between the companies Stemmet ran from your premises ended up a hat manufacturing business plus a nightclub. Stemmet has actually been arrested several times for gun and drug-associated offences and served time for armed theft during the eighties.

In accordance with an SMS sent to Meuwese with the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court on thirty January 2025.

Though Stemmet is yet to be introduced having a charge sheet, feasible prices, contain fraud, removal of equipment that had been connected by the Sheriff, and interfering using a Metropolis of Cape Town energy meter, In accordance with an electronic mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the matter.

A grant of just about R13-million to determine the minstrel museum was Component of much more than R64-million in Lottery cash allocated towards the CTMCA between 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - in excess of R54.3-million - compensated from the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 money yrs, In line with National Lotteries Fee (NLC) once-a-year stories.

Stemmet was appointed a director in the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ผล สลาก as two of numerous administrators in the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as a director in 2021.

In keeping with Meuwese, the building was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth Company of which Stemmet was one of the directors. The corporation was deregistered by the Companies and Intellectual Residence Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing annual reviews.

A whole new entity While using the same name was subsequently registered as A personal company, but with Stemmet no longer a director, Based on CIPC records. Instead, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were being appointed as administrators.

Within the night of twelve April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Highway premises have been cleared along with the machinery was eradicated, As outlined by an affidavit by Meuwese. The tools was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent in the Athlone industrial place, which housed numerous of Stemmet’s businesses and also a new “minstrel museum”, Based on a leaked investigative report commissioned with the NLC. The investigator also photographed the machines at The brand new premises.

Nevertheless, the supposed new museum web site, similar to the aged a person in Wetton, was perfectly away from any of Cape City’s tourist routes and website visitors could not accessibility it. There was no signage on the creating indicating that it housed a museum.

Stemmet’s organizations vacated the premises earlier this year following he fell unwell.

The funding to establish a museum wasn't the only lottery grant which the CTMCA obtained. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC to begin with refused to expose who had gained Covid funding but ultimately relented underneath media and parliamentary pressure.

Other lottery grants allocated to non-revenue 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 annual experiences. Stemmet is often a former director from the committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at the moment a director.

And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Association, which happens to be registered on the CTMCA’s previous Crete Road workplaces, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 to get a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Nonetheless, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC lifted questions on excellent studies connected to before funding received through the CTMCA.

GroundUp has confirmed that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding obtained from the CTMCA.

Also below investigation is actually a R1-million payment through the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn paid R500,000 of the to attorneys acting in the acquisition of a 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 company wherein the wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, toward the purchase with the mansion. Zibsimanzi acquired R4.eight-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo right after Letwaba Individually suggested the grant be compensated to his spouse’s organization.

GroundUp despatched questions to Stemmet by way of SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.