ANC’s Block found guilty of graft
ANC provincial chairman John Block was found guilty, in the Northern Cape High Court yesterday of exerting political influence to secure multimillion-rand government leases with the Trifecta group of companies.
He was also found guilty of accepting gratifications in the form of shares in Trifecta, renovations to his guest house in Upington to the value of nearly R350 000, R338 521 for his legal costs and cash payments of R228 000, R500 000 and R298 151 for facilitating the leases.
The former Northern Cape MEC for Social Development, Alvin Botes, was acquitted of all charges.
Judge Mmathebe Phatsoane also found the chief executive of the Trifecta group of companies, Christo Scholtz, guilty on charges of corruption and money laundering.
The Trifecta group of companies was found guilty on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Judge Phatsoane increased the bail of Scholtz and Block from R50 000 to R100 000 after handing down judgment.
She said that while Block had a right not to testify, the silence of an accused was “not without consequences”.
She indicated that he had an obligation to explain to the court if the payments that he received from the company were in the form of a loan.
“He should have declared the nature of the services rendered to Trifecta where salary payments were made to him,” she said.
Judge Phatsoane said the payments for the renovations to Block’s guest house were made in order to “pressurise, influence and instruct” his personal assistant and Eubrahim Crouch to seal deals with Trifecta for the leasing of office space for the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and the Department of Land Reform and Agriculture.
Crouch was a director at the Department of Roads and Public Works, and was in charge of property management.
She believed that Crouch had acted as an intermediary and not an instigator in the commissioning of a corrupt act.
Judge Phatsoane pointed out that Crouch had raised concerns with Block that proper procurement procedures were not being followed.
She said that Crouch had merely signed as a witness when he had been summoned to the guest house belonging to the wife of the late Sarel Breda, who was a director of Trifecta in 2005, to conclude a rental contract for the Department of Land Reform and Agriculture.
Judge Phatsoane indicated that Block had explained that he had sourced funds to cover his legal costs, as he was unemployed and had to “fend for himself”.
“While everyone has a right to earn a living, it does not mean that he should resort to corrupt activities,” said the judge.
The matter was postponed to January 25 for sentencing.
● As media platforms exploded late yesterday afternoon with the news that Block had been found guilty of corruption and money laundering, the ruling party sidestepped the big question on the future of the local politician, stating only that it had noted the judgment.
ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said in a statement issued by the party yesterday that it had “noted the judgment on the matter of the case of comrade John Block” but would await the sentencing by the court before giving a full response on the matter.
“Until then, the ANC will refrain from commenting,” Kodwa said.