Leaked report exposes abuse of lottery cash paid to minstrel group

Minstrels accomplish in Athlone on two January 2017. Archive Picture: Ashraf Hendricks

A report by attorneys Dabishi Nthambeleni right into a R27.3-million grant with the National Lotteries Fee towards the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) for your minstrels museum has observed no proof that a museum ever existed.
The investigators found the CTMCA didn't use the R5-million allocated to acquire or create a museum.
Additionally they found that the CTMCA only bought land value R1.seven-million, not R5-million as allotted.
They observed the CTMCA used funds from your Lottery to get workshop devices from amongst its own administrators, Richard “Pot” Stemmet.
A leaked forensic report reveals how millions of rand granted to the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) to setup a museum to rejoice the city’s rich minstrel heritage went astray. The museum was under no circumstances developed.

The main points on the abuse of millions of rands of Lottery cash for a museum that never ever was are exposed in an investigative report commissioned via the NLC in 2021.

The museum grant was A part of in excess of R64-million in Lottery resources allotted to the CTMCA in between 2003 and 2017.

The initial Section of the investigation, by legislation agency Dabishi Nthambeleni, was executed amongst September 2020 and January 2021 and focused on a R27.three-million grant into the CTMCA in 2014, which bundled funding for that museum. The accredited funds for that museum was a lot more than R12.eight-million, with R5-million of that allocated for just a setting up to house the museum.

Examine the report (PDF, 7MB)

The NLC tasked Dabishi Nthambeleni to investigate the purchase of a constructing for that museum and if the museum “truly existed”.

The organization was also instructed to research

the acquisition with Lottery resources of two autos – a 60-seater bus and also a 23-seater bus – for R2.4-million; and
different equipment “procured to the manufacturing in the costumes and hats” to the minstrels carnival, for R5.four-million.
At the time, convicted prison Richard “Pot” Stemmet was director on the CTMCA. He was appointed a director on the CTMCA in September 1996. He resigned in December 2016 but his spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued as two of several administrators from the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed to be a director in Could 2021.

The investigation followed extensive reporting by GroundUp about the countless rands of Lottery funding allocated on the CTMCA (see listed here, here and here) and the way the funds probably aided finance the ANC’s 2014 election campaign within the Western Cape, led by at enough time by Marius Fransman.



The making on the correct was the supposed web site of your minstrels’ museum, in the midst of an industrial location in Primrose Park, Cape Town. Image: Raymond Joseph

In response to some Parliamentary dilemma, previous NLC Commissioner Thabang Mampane listed grants to a few CTMCA “jobs” - such as the museum - involving 2012 and 2015. All a few tasks were done, she explained to MPs.

Although the investigators found no proof that a museum experienced at any time existed.

In the beginning the museum was as a result of open up in rented premises in Crete Street, Wetton. A photograph attained by GroundUp of your meant Wetton museum exhibits a espresso shop with some musical devices and minstrel costumes and collages of photographs haphazardly hung around the walls, and also a design ship on its plinth in the corner.

In its report, Dabishi Nthambeleni reported it had been “not in a position” to verify if a museum experienced at any time operated from these premises.

Stemmet informed the investigators the museum had been moved given that they could no more pay for the lease of R100,000 a month. He stated the CTMCA had ordered residence for R1.seven-million in Schaapkraal for that museum, but couldn't get it rezoned, and were bought for a similar price. Schaapkraal is within a peri-urban location considerably from town.

Because of this, the museum were moved to a fresh locale in Primrose Park in February 2021, Stemmet told the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators. But soon after viewing the premises, which might be within an industrial location, the investigators explained they doubted irrespective of whether a suitable museum existed there. Photographs hooked up to the report clearly show a mishmash of randomly shown uniforms, musical instruments and various minstrel paraphernalia nailed to your wall, displayed on tables and distribute out on the ground, without any explanation.

“There exists a minimum degree of objects within the museum [that] on no account represent the a lot more than 100-yr heritage of your Cape Town Carnival, the investigators said, adding that there was “no signage outside the premises indicating which they housed a museum and … frequently, the museum would not look to be open to the general public.”

The CTMCA had breached the grant settlement, Dabishi Nthambeleni mentioned, by relocating The placement with the museum to another place devoid of notifying the NLC.



The Schaapkraal property, on which no museum was at any time developed. Image: Raymond Joseph

Buses
Stemmet informed the investigators which the CTMCA experienced to maneuver from the rented Crete Road premises because it experienced operate up a R4-million credit card debt with the town of Cape City and was afraid its tools can be connected.

“Due to the lawful battles and also the debts, the organisation had to maneuver its property from 5 Crete Street to stay away from the sheriff from attaching the assets in the organisation,” Stemmet explained to the investigators.

Sedrick Soeker, the current director with the CTMCA, informed them that the two buses bought with lottery funds were stored in the magic formula site “concealed in the Sheriff”. But the investigators explained they were being not able to confirm that any buses had at any time been acquired.

Stemmet also verified the buses had been concealed to prevent them currently being seized. But if the investigators requested being taken to the spot where the buses were being saved, he advised them that “the operator of The key area was not accessible to open up the premises for us”.

“The CTMCA could not offer evidence of payment for 2 autos that it allegedly obtained with grant cash,” the investigators reported.

Soeker also explained to them the Schaapkraal house were marketed because of the personal debt.

“Mr Soeker spelled out that according to his knowledge, mainly because of the personal debt owed to town of Cape City, the CTMCA decided it would be ideal to provide their [Schaapkraal] property … and also to also to cover the belongings of your CTMCA to stay away from the sheriff from attaching the home.”

JP Smith, Cape Town’s mayco member for safety and stability, has Earlier explained to GroundUp which the CTMCA “threw funds absent” on litigation with town.

“Each year like clockwork, as we approach the top of the year, the CTMCA picks a authorized fight with town, above permits or something else. We by no means initiate it. They preserve throwing funds absent on vexatious litigation they shed and also have prices awarded towards them. This is certainly completely self-inflicted,” he reported.

Soeker informed the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators that the most crucial function gamers on problems with Lottery funding were Stemmet and previous CTMCA board member Kevin Momberg, “who ended up in charge of all the admin, funds and jogging ตรวจ ล้อ ต เต อ รี่ the CTMCA.” The investigators said they were unable to Get in touch with Momberg.

Hats
For the duration of their “investigation in loco” in the Primrose Park premises, the investigators “identified numerous equipment, some in very good problem, some in negative condition and several that appeared rusty and very aged”. Stemmet instructed the investigators that there was also an off-website storage facility where by “devices and several equipment” were being held.

“We questioned him to consider us to the ability but he was evasive to our ask for.”

According to pics and invoices in GroundUp’s possession, some, Otherwise all, from the things seem like tools which was illegally removed from the CTMCA’s preceding premises. Stemmet is dealing with charges for this removal.

In accordance with the closing progress report submitted for the NLC from the CTMCA, the equipment was ordered from Martin-Conne Milliners, a corporation where Stemmet, his wife and his daughter were administrators at the time.

The investigators found this “alarming”.

“Through the CIPC search of Martin-Conne Milliners along with the invoices submitted, we note the following alarming acquiring: Mr Stemmet himself is actually a director of Martin-Conne Milliners. The registered tackle of the organization is 5 Crete Street, Wetton, Cape City, precisely the same handle on which the museum was meant to be crafted and/or transformed,” they claimed.

An audit by accountants Kopano Included, hooked up into the investigative report, recorded which the CTMCA was in the whole process of paying for “equipment, plant and stock” valued at R8.one-million from Stalph 164 CC, investing as Martin-Conne Milliners. Staph 164 was an in depth Company of which Stemmet was certainly one of the administrators.

Based on Dabishi Nthambeleni, the corporate has compensated R1.2-million as being a deposit, this means R6.9-million remains owed, even though there isn't any payment day established for when this have to be paid.

The Kopano audit plus the shut hyperlink amongst the companies “point out to us that there is ‘foul Perform’ involved with the purchase on the machinery on the museum workshop”, the investigators reported within the report.

“We find that it's really possible that CTMCA employed the funding of the NLC to ‘refund’ one of its major directors to the property at an increased overpriced price than the particular cost and price of the home and/or machinery.”

Tips
Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded that it was unable to determine how the grant for the CTMCA were put in.

“In reality, a detailed report on how the funding from the NLC was applied, could well be unattainable as being the CTMCA does not have any receipts, or proof of payments to confirm the quantities used on Just about every product it requested funding for. The interim report and final report from the CTMCA only connect invoices,” Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded.

The investigators observed that the NLC experienced not carried out a website visit right before approving the grant. But this was not standard exercise at the time plus they discovered no evidence of carelessness by NLC employees.

At enough time, the NLC’s rules did not call for funded organisations to post evidence of payment with interim reports, they pointed out. This intended which the CTMCA was capable to get a next tranche of funding without having to offer proof that it had employed the 1st tranche for its meant intent.

Next the appointment of a fresh board, commissioner and senior government team, the NLC has tightened up on these along with other issues.

Dabishi Nthambeleni encouraged that

the NLC decline any long run funding apps in the CTMCA;
the CTMCA and any users who ended up associated with the grant be subjected into the NLC’s “delinquency” approach;
the NLC open up a prison situation of fraud with SAPS or perhaps the Hawks for allegations of fraud; and
the NLC commence the entire process of recovering the misappropriated cash.
But, rather than act on the report’s tips, the NLC – less than its former administration – selected to suppress it, since it had completed With all the prior reports into corruption it experienced commissioned.

GroundUp sent thoughts to Stemmet and Soeker by using SMS, and requested for email addresses to send out the inquiries by email far too. But no response had been been given at time of publication.



The minstrel “museum” in Crete Street, Wetton. Image: Raymond Joseph

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