Minstrels carry out in Athlone on two January 2017. Archive Picture: Ashraf Hendricks
A report by Lawyers Dabishi Nthambeleni into a R27.3-million grant from the Nationwide Lotteries Commission towards the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) for a minstrels museum has found no proof that a museum ever existed.
The investigators located the CTMCA did not make use of the R5-million allotted to get or produce a museum.
They also identified which the CTMCA only purchased land worth R1.seven-million, not R5-million as allotted.
They found the CTMCA utilized money through the Lottery to get workshop tools from one of its possess administrators, Richard “Pot” Stemmet.
A leaked forensic report reveals how countless rand granted to the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) via the National Lotteries Fee (NLC) to arrange a museum to celebrate the city’s wealthy minstrel history went astray. The museum was in no way produced.
The details with the abuse of numerous rands of Lottery cash for any museum that never ever was are exposed in an investigative report commissioned by the NLC in 2021.
The museum grant was A part of in excess of R64-million in Lottery funds allocated to the CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017.
The very first Section of the investigation, by law firm Dabishi Nthambeleni, was performed concerning September 2020 and January 2021 and focused on a R27.three-million grant towards the CTMCA in 2014, which integrated funding with the museum. The permitted budget for that museum was more than R12.8-million, with R5-million of that allotted for your creating to deal with the museum.
Go through the report (PDF, 7MB)
The NLC tasked Dabishi Nthambeleni to analyze the purchase of a building for that museum and whether the museum “basically existed”.
The agency was also instructed to analyze
the purchase with Lottery money of two motor vehicles – a 60-seater bus in addition to a 23-seater bus – for R2.4-million; and
many machines “ordered with the production with the costumes and hats” with the minstrels carnival, for R5.four-million.
At some time, convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet was director from the CTMCA. He was appointed a director from the CTMCA in September 1996. He resigned in December 2016 but his wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued as two of several administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed for a director in May well 2021.
The investigation followed substantial reporting by GroundUp about the a lot of rands of Lottery funding allocated into the CTMCA (see below, right here and in this article) and the way in which the cash probably assisted finance the ANC’s 2014 election campaign during the Western Cape, led by at the time by Marius Fransman.
The developing on the best was the meant web-site of the minstrels’ museum, in the middle of an industrial location in Primrose Park, Cape Town. Photo: Raymond Joseph
In reaction to your Parliamentary dilemma, former NLC Commissioner Thabang Mampane listed grants to a few CTMCA “initiatives” - such as the museum - concerning 2012 and 2015. All a few assignments had been concluded, she advised MPs.
Even so the investigators discovered no evidence that a museum experienced ever existed.
At the beginning the museum was on account of open up in rented premises in Crete Highway, Wetton. A photo obtained by GroundUp on the meant Wetton museum shows a coffee shop with some musical instruments and minstrel costumes and collages of photographs haphazardly hung to the partitions, in addition to a product ship on its plinth inside of a corner.
In its report, Dabishi Nthambeleni reported it absolutely was “not ready” to verify if a museum had ever operated from these premises.
Stemmet explained to the investigators the museum were moved as they could not pay for the hire of R100,000 a month. He said the CTMCA experienced obtained assets for R1.7-million in Schaapkraal for the museum, but couldn't get it rezoned, and had been bought for a similar selling price. Schaapkraal is in a very peri-urban area considerably from the town.
Because of this, the museum were moved to a different area in Primrose Park in February 2021, Stemmet explained to the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators. But soon after going to the premises, which are in an industrial place, the investigators said they doubted irrespective of whether a correct museum existed there. Pictures connected into the report present a mishmash of randomly exhibited uniforms, musical devices and assorted minstrel paraphernalia nailed into the wall, exhibited on tables and distribute out on the floor, without any explanation.
“There's a minimum amount of products with the museum [that] under no circumstances stand for the more than one hundred-yr heritage from the Cape Town Carnival, the investigators stated, including that there was “no signage outside the house the premises indicating which they housed a museum and … typically, the museum isn't going to glimpse to be open up to the general public.”
The CTMCA had breached the grant arrangement, Dabishi Nthambeleni famous, by shifting The situation in the museum to an alternate area without having notifying the NLC.
The Schaapkraal house, on which no museum was ever crafted. Photograph: Raymond Joseph
Buses
Stemmet instructed the investigators the CTMCA had to maneuver in the rented Crete Road premises mainly because it experienced run up a R4-million debt with the City of Cape City and was worried its machines could well be attached.
“Due to lawful battles as well as debts, the organisation had to maneuver its residence from 5 Crete Road to steer clear of the sheriff from attaching the property of your organisation,” Stemmet explained to the investigators.
Sedrick Soeker, the current director with the CTMCA, told them which the two buses acquired with lottery funds were stored inside of a mystery locale “hidden with the Sheriff”. Nevertheless the investigators explained they were unable to substantiate that any buses experienced ever been acquired.
Stemmet also verified the buses were hidden to prevent them currently being seized. But once the investigators asked to get taken into the location in which the buses have been saved, he instructed them that “the owner of The trick spot was not available to open up the premises for us”.
“The CTMCA could not give evidence of payment for two autos that it allegedly obtained with grant revenue,” the investigators documented.
Soeker also explained to them the Schaapkraal assets were offered as a result of personal debt.
“Mr Soeker explained that In line with his knowledge, due to the personal debt owed to the town of Cape Town, the CTMCA resolved It could be ideal to promote their [Schaapkraal] house … also to also to hide the belongings with the CTMCA to stay away from the sheriff from attaching the assets.”
JP Smith, Cape Town’s mayco member for safety and stability, has previously advised GroundUp which the CTMCA “threw money away” on litigation with the town.
“Every year like clockwork, as we method the top of the 12 months, the CTMCA picks a lawful battle with the City, above permits or another thing. We in no way initiate it. They continue to keep throwing money absent on vexatious litigation which they drop and have expenses awarded against them. This is fully self-inflicted,” he claimed.
Soeker advised the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators that the principle part gamers on issues of Lottery funding were being Stemmet and former CTMCA board member Kevin Momberg, “who ended up in control of all the admin, finances and working fox888 the CTMCA.” The investigators explained they were not able to contact Momberg.
Hats
All through their “investigation in loco” with the Primrose Park premises, the investigators “found quite a few equipment, some in good problem, some in terrible condition and a few that seemed rusty and very previous”. Stemmet instructed the investigators that there was also an off-site storage facility where “devices and many machinery” have been stored.
“We asked him to take us to the power but he was evasive to our ask for.”
Depending on pictures and invoices in GroundUp’s possession, some, if not all, with the things look like products which was illegally removed from the CTMCA’s previous premises. Stemmet is experiencing costs for this elimination.
In accordance with the last progress report submitted to your NLC from the CTMCA, the machinery was ordered from Martin-Conne Milliners, a company through which Stemmet, his spouse and his daughter were being administrators at some time.
The investigators discovered this “alarming”.
“Through the CIPC research of Martin-Conne Milliners plus the invoices submitted, we Observe the subsequent alarming acquiring: Mr Stemmet himself is often a director of Martin-Conne Milliners. The registered tackle of the business is 5 Crete Highway, Wetton, Cape City, the identical address on which the museum was meant to be created and/or converted,” they claimed.
An audit by accountants Kopano Integrated, attached to your investigative report, recorded that the CTMCA was in the whole process of getting “equipment, plant and stock” valued at R8.1-million from Stalph 164 CC, investing as Martin-Conne Milliners. Staph 164 was a close corporation of which Stemmet was certainly one of the administrators.
In accordance with Dabishi Nthambeleni, the corporation has paid R1.2-million as a deposit, that means R6.nine-million is still owed, however there isn't any payment date established for when this has to be paid.
The Kopano audit as well as the close link in between the businesses “suggest to us that there is ‘foul play’ linked to the purchase from the equipment in the museum workshop”, the investigators said from the report.
“We find that it is really probable that CTMCA utilised the funding of the NLC to ‘refund’ considered one of its primary directors for that assets at a higher overpriced charge than the actual selling price and price of the property and/or equipment.”
Tips
Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded that it absolutely was not able to ascertain how the grant on the CTMCA had been invested.
“In fact, a detailed report on how the funding of the NLC was used, could well be impossible given that the CTMCA doesn't have any receipts, or proof of payments to substantiate the amounts used on Just about every item it asked for funding for. The interim report and ultimate report from the CTMCA only connect invoices,” Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded.
The investigators identified the NLC experienced not carried out a site check out before approving the grant. But this was not common observe at the time and they identified no evidence of negligence by NLC staff members.
At some time, the NLC’s procedures didn't require funded organisations to submit evidence of payment with interim reviews, they pointed out. This intended the CTMCA was ready to get a 2nd tranche of funding without needing to supply proof that it experienced employed the very first tranche for its intended goal.
Adhering to the appointment of a brand new board, commissioner and senior executive crew, the NLC has tightened up on these along with other difficulties.
Dabishi Nthambeleni advised that
the NLC decrease any long term funding purposes from your CTMCA;
the CTMCA and any members who have been involved with the grant be subjected to your NLC’s “delinquency” system;
the NLC open up a legal scenario of fraud with SAPS or even the Hawks for allegations of fraud; and
the NLC begin the entire process of recovering the misappropriated resources.
But, as opposed to act about the report’s tips, the NLC – less than its previous administration – chose to suppress it, as it had completed With all the earlier reviews into corruption it experienced commissioned.
GroundUp despatched issues to Stemmet and Soeker through SMS, and asked for electronic mail addresses to mail the issues by e-mail much 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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