Block can’t afford ‘truckload of documents’
SANDI KWON HOO SANDI.KWONHOO@ACM.CO.ZA
FORMER ANC provincial chairperson John Block advised the court that he was not in a position to pay for a “truckload of evidence”, where the defence in the Kimberley Mental Health Hospital case has been made to foot the bill for a room full of boxes.
A request was made during a recent court appearance that representations be made to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in order for the boxes of documents to be provided to Block free of charge.
The charges in the case include fraud, corruption, money laundering, and contravention of the Engineering Professions Act and the Public Finance Management Act.
Block was the MEC for Transport, Roads and Public Works at the time when a R51 million tender was awarded to Babereki Consulting Engineers CC for structural, civil engineering and project management of the Kimberley Mental Health Hospital construction project in 2003.
The project’s construction costs ballooned from R290 million to over R2.1 billion and it took 14 years to complete.
Herholdt Robertson, the legal representative for the co-accused – the former HOD for the Department of Transport, Roads and Public Works, Patience Mercia Mokhali, and the director of Babereki Consulting Engineers CC,
Tshegolekae Motaung, indicated that the first two batches of documents had cost them R70,000.
“The first two batches consist of 51 boxes. It took a long time to go through everything. Many of the pages do not pertain to the criminal case – such as an arbitration case, a risk management study, minutes from the Department of Health and tender documents,” said Robertson.
“I am not prepared to fork out almost R1 million for copies of the third batch. It is said to be sketches and plans and will not be useful evidence.”
Robertson requested that he be allowed to first inspect the third batch of files at the DPP offices, in the presence of security.
“If I select which pages are to be copied that will be relevant to the defence, it will shorten the process and reduce the bill.”
He stated that the previous State prosecutor, advocate Lentswe Setoute, had not exaggerated when he advised him in May 2023 that it was a “truckload of documents”.
“I want to make an application for further particulars but I still need the third batch.”
Robertson offered to share copies of the relevant documents with Block, without any charge.
“The defence will require between four to six weeks to prepare.”
State prosecutor Sazile Gesi indicated that only one box was outstanding in the first batch lot.
“It is well within the rights of the defence to go through the documents,” said Gesi.
Kimberley Magistrate Kubashnie Padayachee postponed the matter until July 18.
GREY MUTTER BY LANCE FREDERICKS
ALEXANDER Graham Bell’s journey from multiple failures to eventual success is encapsulated in his famous quote: “After innumerable failures I finally uncovered the principle for which I was searching, and I was astounded at its simplicity.
“The principle I revealed not only proved beneficial in constructing a mechanical hearing aid but also served as well as means of sending the sound of the voice over a wire.”
Bell’s dogged, stubborn, pioneering spirit made him a trailblazer in the telecommunications industry.
Personally, I find myself wondering sometimes if it would not have been better if ‘Old Alex’ was a quitter. I always tend to wonder, though Bell may have contributed to making communication more efficient, did he help make it better?
Some would say, “Yes, definitely” …
But think about it; is it only me, or has anyone else noticed how telephones have taken over our lives? I bore even myself these days when I rant about people who drive their cars, taxis, trucks, delivery motorcycles and even bicycles in traffic, either talking into, or texting on their mobile devices.
Now someone may smirk and say that it’s not Bell who we have to thank for the mobile phone, but I would argue that if he hadn’t started the ball rolling, Martin Cooper could have applied his energies elsewhere. And don’t get me started on Eric MC Tigerstedt.
Anyway, all I am saying is that I think I, personally, would have been a bit happier if telephones and telephone calls were more rare than they are.
Admittedly, sometimes it’s important to use the telephone. I get important calls every week. But what I find acceptable about the important calls I get, is that they are short, businesslike, work-related and to the point. That’s fine.
Also, phone calls to family members and loved-ones many miles away are a vital way of keeping in touch – such calls are precious.
However, what Mr Bell, Mr Cooper and Mr Tigerstedt failed to take into account is that one day introverts – I won’t mention names – would cringe at the sound of a ringing device.
When my phone rings, and it’s not a loved-one or work-related, the first thoughts that come to mind – no matter who calls me – are, “Oh, dear, I wonder how long this is going to take” … followed by, “What if I run out of things to say and there’s ‘dead air’ on this call?”
I must say that though telephones are efficient, I do miss writing letters. But these days people no longer have the patience, time or energy to write or read several pages of handwritten sentiments. Letter-writing is outdated and slow, but it
‘What if I run out of things to say and there’s ‘dead air’ on this call?’
• Martin Cooper (born 1928) The American engineer who led the team that in 1972-73 built the first mobile cellphone, and is widely regarded as the father of the cellular phone.
• Eric Magnus Campbell Tigerstedt (1887 – 1925) invented the mobile phone, for which he in 1917 successfully filed a patent. The patent was granted to Tigerstedt for what he described as a “pocket-size folding telephone with a very thin carbon microphone”.