Minstrels carry out in Athlone on two January 2017. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks
A report by Lawyers Dabishi Nthambeleni right into a R27.3-million grant because of the Nationwide Lotteries Commission into the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) for your minstrels museum has observed no proof that a museum at any time existed.
The investigators discovered the CTMCA didn't use the R5-million allotted to buy or make a museum.
They also identified which the CTMCA only acquired land really worth R1.7-million, not R5-million as allocated.
They uncovered the CTMCA utilized funds through the Lottery to invest in workshop equipment from certainly one of its very own directors, Richard “Pot” Stemmet.
A leaked forensic report reveals how numerous rand granted on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) via the Nationwide Lotteries Commission (NLC) to set up a museum to rejoice the city’s rich minstrel record went astray. The museum was by no means designed.
The main points with the abuse of countless rands of Lottery cash for a museum that hardly ever was are exposed within an investigative report commissioned with the NLC in 2021.
The museum grant was A part of over R64-million in Lottery money allotted to your CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017.
The initial Element of the investigation, by law company Dabishi Nthambeleni, was done amongst September 2020 and January 2021 and centered on a R27.three-million grant to the CTMCA in 2014, which integrated funding for your museum. The authorized spending budget for the museum was over R12.eight-million, with R5-million of that allotted to get a making to deal with the museum.
Study the report (PDF, 7MB)
The NLC tasked Dabishi Nthambeleni to research the purchase of a building for your museum and whether or not the museum “essentially existed”.
The firm was also instructed to research
the purchase with Lottery cash of two vehicles – a 60-seater bus along with a 23-seater bus – for R2.four-million; and
many machines “bought for that production of the costumes and hats” to the minstrels carnival, for R5.4-million.
At enough time, convicted felony 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 ongoing as two of many directors in the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as a director in May perhaps 2021.
The investigation followed substantial reporting by GroundUp concerning the a lot of rands of Lottery funding allocated into the CTMCA (see right here, right here and below) and the way the resources possibly aided finance the ANC’s 2014 election marketing campaign within the Western Cape, led by at time by Marius Fransman.
The building on the proper was the meant internet site with the minstrels’ museum, in the course of an industrial area in Primrose Park, Cape City. Photograph: Raymond Joseph
In reaction to some Parliamentary query, previous NLC Commissioner Thabang Mampane mentioned grants to a few CTMCA “tasks” - including the museum - concerning 2012 and 2015. All three assignments were concluded, she told MPs.
Though the investigators identified no proof that a museum had ever existed.
At the outset the museum was due to open up in rented premises in Crete Street, Wetton. A photograph received by GroundUp of the intended Wetton museum shows a espresso store with a few musical devices and minstrel costumes and collages of pictures haphazardly hung to the partitions, in addition to a product ship on its plinth inside a corner.
In its report, Dabishi Nthambeleni stated it was “not in a position” to substantiate if a museum experienced ever operated from these premises.
Stemmet informed the investigators the museum had been moved since they could no longer afford to pay for the lease of R100,000 a month. He reported the CTMCA had bought assets for R1.7-million in Schaapkraal for the museum, but could not get it rezoned, and were offered for a similar value. Schaapkraal is inside of a peri-urban place much from the town.
Consequently, the museum had been moved to a different place in Primrose Park in February 2021, Stemmet advised the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators. But just after going to the premises, which happen to be within an industrial space, the investigators said they doubted no matter if a suitable museum existed there. Pics connected on the report demonstrate a mishmash of randomly shown uniforms, musical devices and diverse minstrel paraphernalia nailed for the wall, displayed on tables and distribute out on the floor, without having clarification.
“There is a small volume of products for the museum [that] by no means stand for the a lot more than a hundred-year historical past of your Cape City Carnival, the investigators stated, incorporating that there was “no signage exterior the premises indicating which they housed a museum and … generally, the museum doesn't search to get open to the public.”
The CTMCA had breached the grant settlement, Dabishi Nthambeleni noted, by going The situation with the museum to an alternate area with out notifying the NLC.
The Schaapkraal property, on which no museum was at any time developed. Photo: Raymond Joseph
Buses
Stemmet explained to the investigators that the CTMCA experienced to move with the rented Crete Road premises as it had run up a R4-million personal debt with the City of Cape Town and was worried its tools could be attached.
“Because of the lawful battles plus the debts, the organisation had to maneuver its home from 5 Crete Highway to stay away from the sheriff from attaching the assets on the organisation,” Stemmet instructed the investigators.
Sedrick Soeker, the current director with the CTMCA, instructed them which the two buses bought with lottery money were being stored in the magic formula area “concealed through the Sheriff”. Though the investigators reported they were being not able to confirm that any buses experienced ever been purchased.
Stemmet also verified the buses were hidden to prevent them getting seized. But once the investigators requested to become taken to your position the place the buses have been saved, he advised them that “the operator of The key place was not accessible to open up the premises for us”.
“The CTMCA couldn't give evidence of payment for 2 automobiles that it allegedly acquired with grant revenue,” the investigators noted.
Soeker also informed them the Schaapkraal home had been offered due to personal debt.
“Mr Soeker described that according to his comprehension, due to the debt owed to town of Cape City, the CTMCA made the decision It might be greatest to promote their [Schaapkraal] property … and also to also to cover the property from the CTMCA to steer clear of the sheriff from attaching the residence.”
JP Smith, Cape Town’s mayco member for security and stability, has Formerly told GroundUp which the CTMCA “threw cash absent” on litigation with the City.
“Annually like clockwork, as we method the tip from the 12 months, the CTMCA picks a lawful fight with the town, about permits or another thing. We in no way initiate it. They hold throwing dollars absent on vexatious litigation they reduce and possess expenses awarded from them. This can be completely self-inflicted,” he explained.
Soeker advised the Dabishi Nthambeleni investigators that the most crucial part gamers on issues of Lottery funding were being Stemmet and former CTMCA board member Kevin Momberg, “who ended up in control of all of the admin, funds and running cat888 the CTMCA.” The investigators mentioned they were not able to contact Momberg.
Hats
All through their “investigation in loco” in the Primrose Park premises, the investigators “observed numerous machines, some in fantastic condition, some in negative affliction plus some that looked rusty and extremely previous”. Stemmet instructed the investigators that there was also an off-web page storage facility exactly where “instruments and some equipment” were being kept.
“We asked him to get us to the power but he was evasive to our ask for.”
Based on photos and invoices in GroundUp’s possession, some, Otherwise all, with the goods seem like equipment which was illegally faraway from the CTMCA’s earlier premises. Stemmet is facing fees for this removing.
According to the ultimate development report submitted into the NLC through the CTMCA, the machinery was ordered from Martin-Conne Milliners, a company through 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 address of the company is five Crete Road, Wetton, Cape City, the identical handle on which the museum was intended to be built and/or converted,” they reported.
An audit by accountants Kopano Integrated, hooked up towards the investigative report, recorded the CTMCA was in the process of getting “equipment, plant and inventory” valued at R8.one-million from Stalph 164 CC, trading as Martin-Conne Milliners. Staph 164 was an in depth Company of which Stemmet was one of the directors.
In line with Dabishi Nthambeleni, the corporation has compensated R1.two-million to be a deposit, this means R6.nine-million remains owed, while there isn't any payment day established for when this have to be paid.
The Kopano audit and also the shut backlink amongst the companies “suggest to us that there is ‘foul Participate in’ involved with the acquisition on the machinery on the museum workshop”, the investigators stated from the report.
“We find that it is remarkably possible that CTMCA employed the funding with the NLC to ‘refund’ certainly one of its key administrators for the home at a better overpriced amount than the particular rate 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 used.
“In point of fact, an in depth report on how the funding in the NLC was employed, could be not possible given that the CTMCA does not have any receipts, or evidence of payments to verify the quantities put in on Every product it requested funding for. The interim report and closing report from the CTMCA only attach invoices,” Dabishi Nthambeleni concluded.
The investigators found that the NLC experienced not done a web site take a look at prior to approving the grant. But this was not common observe at the time and they discovered no evidence of negligence by NLC staff.
At time, the NLC’s principles did not need funded organisations to submit evidence of payment with interim stories, they pointed out. This meant which the CTMCA was in the position to receive a second tranche of funding without the need to deliver proof that it experienced applied the initial tranche for its intended reason.
Subsequent the appointment of a new board, commissioner and senior government workforce, the NLC has tightened up on these together with other problems.
Dabishi Nthambeleni encouraged that
the NLC drop any potential funding apps from the CTMCA;
the CTMCA and any members who have been involved with the grant be subjected to your NLC’s “delinquency” process;
the NLC open a prison circumstance of fraud with SAPS or maybe the Hawks for allegations of fraud; and
the NLC begin the process of recovering the misappropriated resources.
But, rather then act to the report’s suggestions, the NLC – below its prior administration – selected to suppress it, because it experienced performed Together with the prior experiences into corruption it had commissioned.
GroundUp despatched questions to Stemmet and Soeker by means of SMS, and asked for e-mail addresses to mail the queries by e mail too. But no response had been gained at some time of publication.
The minstrel “museum” in Crete Road, Wetton. Photograph: Raymond Joseph
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