Minstrels execute in Athlone on 2 January 2017. Archive Picture: Ashraf Hendricks
A report by attorneys Dabishi Nthambeleni into a R27.three-million grant from the National Lotteries Fee to your Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) for your minstrels museum has discovered no proof that a museum at any time existed.
The investigators identified which the CTMCA didn't make use of the R5-million allotted to obtain or establish a museum.
Additionally they discovered the CTMCA only bought land truly worth R1.seven-million, not R5-million as allocated.
They discovered the CTMCA made use of money from the Lottery to get workshop machines from considered one of its own directors, Richard “Pot” Stemmet.
A leaked forensic report reveals how numerous rand granted on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) through the Nationwide Lotteries Commission (NLC) to arrange a museum to rejoice the city’s abundant minstrel background went astray. The museum was under no circumstances created.
The details in the abuse of many rands of Lottery cash for a museum that never was are exposed in an investigative report commissioned through the NLC in 2021.
The museum grant was Component of in excess of R64-million in Lottery funds allocated for the CTMCA in between 2003 and 2017.
The main Component of the investigation, by law agency Dabishi Nthambeleni, was carried out among September 2020 and January 2021 and focused on a R27.three-million grant into the CTMCA in 2014, which bundled funding for your museum. The accepted price range to the museum was in excess of R12.eight-million, with R5-million of that allocated for any making to accommodate the museum.
Examine the report (PDF, 7MB)
The NLC tasked Dabishi Nthambeleni to investigate the acquisition of a setting up to the museum and whether the museum “actually existed”.
The organization was also instructed to analyze
the purchase with Lottery money of two autos – a sixty-seater bus and also a 23-seater bus – for R2.4-million; and
numerous machines “procured for that manufacturing from the costumes and hats” with the minstrels carnival, for R5.4-million.
At enough time, convicted legal Richard “Pot” Stemmet was director with the CTMCA. He was appointed a director with the CTMCA in September 1996. He resigned in December 2016 but his wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing as two of many directors of the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as a director in May perhaps 2021.
The investigation adopted intensive reporting by GroundUp with regard to the numerous rands of Lottery funding allocated into the CTMCA (see here, in this article and listed here) and how the funds almost certainly assisted finance the ANC’s 2014 election campaign while in the Western Cape, led by at enough time by Marius Fransman.
The developing on the ideal was the intended website on the minstrels’ museum, in the midst of an industrial spot in Primrose Park, Cape Town. Image: Raymond Joseph
In response to your Parliamentary issue, former NLC Commissioner Thabang Mampane mentioned grants to a few CTMCA “tasks” - such as the museum - between 2012 and 2015. All 3 projects had been concluded, she explained to MPs.
Though the investigators identified no evidence that a museum experienced ever existed.
Initially the museum was resulting from open up in rented premises in Crete Road, Wetton. A photograph received by GroundUp with the supposed Wetton museum displays a coffee store with a few musical instruments and minstrel costumes and collages of photos haphazardly hung within the walls, and a product ship on its plinth inside of a corner.
In its report, Dabishi Nthambeleni reported it was “not able” to confirm if a museum had ever operated from these premises.
Stemmet explained to the investigators the museum had been moved since they could no more manage the hire of R100,000 a month. He claimed the CTMCA experienced obtained residence for R1.7-million in Schaapkraal to the museum, but couldn't get it rezoned, and had been marketed for a similar price tag. Schaapkraal is in a peri-city space considerably from town.
Subsequently, the museum were moved to a brand new locale in Primrose Park in February 2021, Stemmet informed the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators. But right after traveling to the premises, which might be within an industrial space, the investigators claimed they doubted no matter if a suitable museum existed there. Pics connected towards the report present a mishmash of randomly displayed uniforms, musical instruments and various minstrel paraphernalia nailed for the wall, shown on tables and distribute out on the floor, without any rationalization.
“You will find a small quantity of objects with the museum [that] in no way signify the greater than 100-year background in the Cape City Carnival, the investigators explained, incorporating that there was “no signage exterior the premises indicating they housed a museum and … frequently, the museum would not look to generally be open up to the public.”
The CTMCA experienced breached the grant arrangement, Dabishi Nthambeleni observed, by shifting The situation on the museum to an alternative locale devoid of notifying the NLC.
The Schaapkraal house, on which no museum was ever developed. Picture: Raymond Joseph
Buses
Stemmet advised the investigators which the CTMCA experienced to move in the rented Crete Street premises mainly because it experienced operate up a R4-million financial debt with the City of Cape City and was fearful its products might be attached.
“As a result of legal battles and the debts, the organisation experienced to move its house from 5 Crete Road to avoid the sheriff from attaching the property of your organisation,” Stemmet instructed the investigators.
Sedrick Soeker, the current director with the CTMCA, informed them which the two buses bought with lottery resources have been saved within a top secret place “hidden within the Sheriff”. Although the investigators mentioned they were unable to substantiate that any buses experienced at any time been bought.
Stemmet also confirmed which the buses were concealed to halt them remaining seized. But in the event the investigators questioned being taken to the position where the buses were saved, he told them that “the owner of The trick locale wasn't available to open up the premises for us”.
“The CTMCA could not provide proof of payment for 2 vehicles that it allegedly procured with grant revenue,” the investigators claimed.
Soeker also informed them the Schaapkraal property had been bought as a result of personal debt.
“Mr Soeker stated that according to his knowledge, due to the financial debt owed to the town of Cape Town, the CTMCA made the decision It could be most effective to promote their [Schaapkraal] house … also to also to cover the assets on the CTMCA to stay away from the sheriff from attaching the house.”
JP Smith, Cape Town’s mayco member for security and safety, has previously explained to GroundUp the CTMCA “threw dollars away” on litigation with the town.
“Each year like clockwork, as we method the end from the 12 months, the CTMCA picks a legal combat with the City, in excess of permits or something else. We never initiate it. They retain throwing cash away on vexatious litigation which they lose and have charges awarded versus them. This really is totally self-inflicted,” he explained.
Soeker instructed the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators that the key job gamers on problems with Lottery funding were being Stemmet and former CTMCA board member Kevin Momberg, “who ended up in control of all of the admin, finances and operating หวย ไทยรัฐ the CTMCA.” The investigators claimed they had been struggling to Call Momberg.
Hats
During their “investigation in loco” at the Primrose Park premises, the investigators “found various equipment, some in fantastic ailment, some in terrible problem and a few that seemed rusty and extremely previous”. Stemmet instructed the investigators that there was also an off-internet site storage facility the place “devices and several equipment” were kept.
“We asked him to just take us to the ability but he was evasive to our request.”
Based upon pics and invoices in GroundUp’s possession, some, Otherwise all, in the merchandise look like machines which was illegally removed from the CTMCA’s prior premises. Stemmet is going through expenses for this removal.
According to the final progress report submitted into the NLC because of the CTMCA, the machinery was bought from Martin-Conne Milliners, a company wherein Stemmet, his wife and his daughter were directors at enough time.
The investigators found this “alarming”.
“From your CIPC research of Martin-Conne Milliners and the invoices submitted, we Take note the subsequent alarming finding: Mr Stemmet himself is actually a director of Martin-Conne Milliners. The registered tackle of the corporation is five Crete Highway, Wetton, Cape City, the identical address on which the museum was intended to be constructed and/or converted,” they claimed.
An audit by accountants Kopano Included, connected on the investigative report, recorded the CTMCA was in the process of buying “machinery, plant and stock” valued at R8.1-million from Stalph 164 CC, investing as Martin-Conne Milliners. Staph 164 was an in depth corporation of which Stemmet was amongst the administrators.
According to Dabishi Nthambeleni, the business has compensated R1.two-million like a deposit, this means R6.9-million remains to be owed, nevertheless there is absolutely no payment day established for when this should be compensated.
The Kopano audit as well as the near backlink concerning the businesses “suggest to us that there's ‘foul Enjoy’ associated with the purchase on the machinery from the museum workshop”, the investigators mentioned within the report.
“We discover that it is highly probable that CTMCA made use of the funding on the NLC to ‘refund’ one among its main administrators for the house at the next overpriced level than the actual price tag and price of the property and/or machinery.”
Suggestions
Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded that it had been not able to establish how the grant to your CTMCA were used.
“In fact, a detailed report on how the funding of your NLC was utilized, might be not possible since the CTMCA does not have any receipts, or proof of payments to verify the amounts put in on Each individual product it asked for funding for. The interim report and ultimate report with the CTMCA only connect invoices,” Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded.
The investigators uncovered the NLC had not performed a web site pay a visit to prior to approving the grant. But this wasn't typical exercise at some time and so they uncovered no evidence of negligence by NLC staff members.
At the time, the NLC’s regulations didn't call for funded organisations to submit evidence of payment with interim experiences, they identified. This intended the CTMCA was able to get a next tranche of funding while not having to offer evidence that it experienced employed the 1st tranche for its supposed objective.
Adhering to the appointment of a completely new board, commissioner and senior executive crew, the NLC has tightened up on these as well as other problems.
Dabishi Nthambeleni recommended that
the NLC decrease any foreseeable future funding programs from your CTMCA;
the CTMCA and any users who have been linked to the grant be subjected to your NLC’s “delinquency” method;
the NLC open up a criminal situation of fraud with SAPS or perhaps the Hawks for allegations of fraud; and
the NLC start the whole process of recovering the misappropriated funds.
But, as an alternative to act over the report’s suggestions, the NLC – beneath its past administration – selected to suppress it, because it had performed Together with the preceding studies into corruption it had commissioned.
GroundUp despatched thoughts to Stemmet and Soeker by means of SMS, and requested for email addresses to send the questions by e mail far too. But no response were acquired at some time of publication.
The minstrel “museum” in Crete Road, Wetton. Picture: Raymond Joseph
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