Minstrels conduct in Athlone on two January 2017. Archive Image: Ashraf Hendricks
A report by attorneys Dabishi Nthambeleni into a R27.3-million grant with the Nationwide Lotteries Commission for the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) for a minstrels museum has located no evidence that a museum at any time existed.
The investigators identified the CTMCA didn't make use of the R5-million allocated to purchase or create a museum.
They also observed the CTMCA only purchased land really worth R1.seven-million, not R5-million as allotted.
They observed the CTMCA utilised cash within the Lottery to invest in workshop devices from among its have administrators, Richard “Pot” Stemmet.
A leaked forensic report reveals how many rand granted towards the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) from the Countrywide Lotteries Commission (NLC) to set up a museum to rejoice town’s wealthy minstrel record went astray. The museum was under no circumstances produced.
The details from the abuse of many rands of Lottery money for the museum that under no circumstances was are discovered in an investigative report commissioned via the NLC in 2021.
The museum grant was Element of greater than R64-million in Lottery cash allotted on the CTMCA between 2003 and 2017.
The initial Section of the investigation, by legislation organization Dabishi Nthambeleni, was done among September 2020 and January 2021 and centered on a R27.three-million grant towards the CTMCA in 2014, which involved funding with the museum. The accepted funds for that museum was more than R12.eight-million, with R5-million of that allotted to get a creating to accommodate the museum.
Study the report (PDF, 7MB)
The NLC tasked Dabishi Nthambeleni to investigate the acquisition of a setting up for your museum and if the museum “basically existed”.
The firm was also instructed to investigate
the purchase with Lottery money of two autos – a 60-seater bus in addition to a 23-seater bus – for R2.four-million; and
various equipment “purchased for the producing of your costumes and hats” with the minstrels carnival, for R5.four-million.
At time, convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet was director of the CTMCA. He was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996. He resigned in December 2016 but his spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued as two of quite a few directors of the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as a director in May perhaps 2021.
The investigation followed extensive reporting by GroundUp concerning the many rands of Lottery funding allocated on the CTMCA (see in this article, right here and below) and the way the funds possibly aided finance the ANC’s 2014 election marketing campaign during the Western Cape, led by at the time by Marius Fransman.
The developing on the correct was the intended web site in the minstrels’ museum, in the midst of an industrial region in Primrose Park, Cape City. Picture: Raymond Joseph
In response to a Parliamentary question, previous NLC Commissioner Thabang Mampane detailed grants to three CTMCA “initiatives” - including the museum - concerning 2012 and 2015. All 3 projects had been completed, she instructed MPs.
Nevertheless the investigators uncovered no proof that a museum had at any time existed.
Initially the museum was as a consequence of open in rented premises in Crete Road, Wetton. A photo acquired by GroundUp with the meant Wetton museum shows a coffee shop with a few musical devices and minstrel costumes and collages of photos haphazardly hung within the walls, as well as a model ship on its plinth within a corner.
In its report, Dabishi Nthambeleni explained it was “not in a position” to substantiate if a museum experienced ever operated from these premises.
Stemmet told the investigators the museum were moved mainly because they could no more manage the rent of R100,000 a month. He said the CTMCA experienced obtained assets for R1.7-million in Schaapkraal with the museum, but could not get it rezoned, and were bought for the same rate. Schaapkraal is within a peri-city area significantly from town.
Consequently, the museum had been moved to a completely new place in Primrose Park in February 2021, Stemmet advised the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators. But just after visiting the premises, which can be in an industrial location, the investigators mentioned they doubted no matter if a suitable museum existed there. Images connected into the report show a mishmash of randomly shown uniforms, musical devices and various minstrel paraphernalia nailed towards the wall, displayed on tables and spread out on the ground, without having rationalization.
“You will find a minimal number of items in the museum [that] in no way represent the in excess of 100-12 months historical past in the Cape City Carnival, the investigators mentioned, adding that there was “no signage outdoors the premises indicating which they housed a museum and … usually, the museum isn't going to glimpse to be open to the general public.”
The CTMCA experienced breached the grant settlement, Dabishi Nthambeleni noted, by relocating The placement with the museum to another location with no notifying the NLC.
The Schaapkraal residence, on which no museum was ever built. Picture: Raymond Joseph
Buses
Stemmet instructed the investigators which the CTMCA experienced to move from your rented Crete Road premises mainly because it had operate up a R4-million financial debt with town of Cape Town and was afraid its machines could well be attached.
“Due to the authorized battles and the debts, the organisation had to move its house from five Crete Street to stay away from the sheriff from attaching the residence of your organisation,” Stemmet explained to the investigators.
Sedrick Soeker, The existing director of your CTMCA, explained to them the two buses purchased with lottery funds were saved in a very mystery area “concealed with the Sheriff”. Although the investigators mentioned they were unable to substantiate that any buses had at any time been bought.
Stemmet also confirmed the buses were hidden to prevent them being seized. But if the investigators questioned to become taken on the place in which the buses ended up saved, he explained to them that “the owner of the secret place was not available to open the premises for us”.
“The CTMCA couldn't provide evidence of payment for 2 motor vehicles that it allegedly procured with grant revenue,” the investigators claimed.
Soeker also explained to them the Schaapkraal assets had been sold because of the personal debt.
“Mr Soeker spelled out that As outlined by his knowledge, a result of the debt owed to the town of Cape City, the CTMCA made the decision it would be ideal to sell their [Schaapkraal] residence … also to also to hide the assets with the CTMCA to avoid the sheriff from attaching the home.”
JP Smith, Cape Town’s mayco member for basic safety and protection, has Beforehand told GroundUp that the CTMCA “threw cash away” on litigation with the City.
“Yearly like clockwork, as we technique the tip in the yr, the CTMCA picks a legal struggle with town, about permits or something else. We in no way initiate it. They maintain throwing money absent on vexatious litigation that they lose and possess fees awarded against them. This is often totally self-inflicted,” he stated.
Soeker instructed the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators that the primary job players on issues of Lottery funding ended up Stemmet and previous CTMCA board member Kevin Momberg, “who were accountable for many of the admin, finances and operating lottovip the CTMCA.” The investigators stated they were struggling to Make contact with Momberg.
Hats
During their “investigation in loco” with the Primrose Park premises, the investigators “uncovered several devices, some in fantastic condition, some in poor issue and many that seemed rusty and very previous”. Stemmet advised the investigators that there was also an off-web-site storage facility wherever “instruments and a few machinery” were being saved.
“We requested him to get us to the facility but he was evasive to our ask for.”
Depending on pictures and invoices in GroundUp’s possession, some, Otherwise all, in the items seem like gear that was illegally faraway from the CTMCA’s earlier premises. Stemmet is struggling with fees for this removing.
According to the ultimate development report submitted to the NLC through the CTMCA, the equipment was procured from Martin-Conne Milliners, a company during which Stemmet, his wife and his daughter ended up administrators at enough time.
The investigators observed this “alarming”.
“Within the CIPC look for of Martin-Conne Milliners as well as invoices submitted, we Take note the next alarming obtaining: Mr Stemmet himself can be a director of Martin-Conne Milliners. The registered deal with of the company is five Crete Road, Wetton, Cape City, precisely the same address on which the museum was meant to be constructed and/or transformed,” they noted.
An audit by accountants Kopano Included, attached to your investigative report, recorded that the CTMCA was in the entire process of paying for “machinery, plant and stock” valued at R8.1-million from Stalph 164 CC, buying and selling as Martin-Conne Milliners. Staph 164 was a detailed Company of which Stemmet was certainly one of the directors.
In keeping with Dabishi Nthambeleni, the company has paid R1.2-million as being a deposit, which means R6.9-million is still owed, although there isn't a payment date set for when this must be compensated.
The Kopano audit as well as near website link in between the businesses “reveal to us that there is ‘foul Enjoy’ associated with the acquisition in the equipment in the museum workshop”, the investigators reported while in the report.
“We discover that it is hugely possible that CTMCA utilized the funding with the NLC to ‘refund’ certainly one of its major administrators with the property at a greater overpriced fee than the particular selling price and price of the assets and/or equipment.”
Tips
Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded that it had been unable to establish how the grant towards the CTMCA had been spent.
“In point of fact, an in depth report on how the funding on the NLC was utilised, will be unattainable as the CTMCA doesn't have any receipts, or proof of payments to substantiate the amounts expended on Every single item it requested funding for. The interim report and remaining report on the CTMCA only connect invoices,” Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded.
The investigators discovered the NLC experienced not performed a web-site go to ahead of approving the grant. But this wasn't standard apply at time plus they observed no proof of carelessness by NLC workforce.
At some time, the NLC’s procedures didn't have to have funded organisations to post proof of payment with interim reviews, they pointed out. This intended the CTMCA was capable of receive a next tranche of funding while not having to supply proof that it experienced utilized the first tranche for its supposed goal.
Following the appointment of a different board, commissioner and senior executive staff, the NLC has tightened up on these along with other challenges.
Dabishi Nthambeleni advised that
the NLC drop any long term funding programs with the CTMCA;
the CTMCA and any users who had been involved in the grant be subjected on the NLC’s “delinquency” method;
the NLC open up a criminal situation of fraud with SAPS or maybe the Hawks for allegations of fraud; and
the NLC get started the whole process of recovering the misappropriated resources.
But, as an alternative to act to the report’s recommendations, the NLC – under its preceding administration – selected to suppress it, since it had accomplished Along with the former experiences into corruption it experienced commissioned.
GroundUp despatched issues to Stemmet and Soeker through SMS, and asked for e mail addresses to send the issues by email way too. But no reaction had been gained at some time of publication.
The minstrel “museum” in Crete Road, Wetton. Photograph: Raymond Joseph
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