By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
Former Northern Cape Transport, Roads and Public Works MEC, John Block, is expected to make a brief appearance in the Upington Magistrates’ Court in connection with a R51 million tender fraud charge related to the construction of a mental health hospital
Block, who is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for corruption and money laundering at Upington Correctional Centre, was apprehended on Tuesday morning by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team.
Hawks spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi confirmed that the 55-year-old was arrested in connection with fraud allegations relating to a R420 million tender dating back to 2003.
Mnisi said Block’s arrest followed the recent arrest last week and the court appearance of a former head of department (HOD) for roads and public works Patience Mokhali and Director of Babereki Consulting Engineers Tshegolekae Motaung.
She confirmed that both the former HOD and Block face charges of fraud, while the company director is accused of corruption and money laundering.
The tender in question relates to the construction of a new mental health facility in Kimberley, which initially carried a budget of R290 million. However, the costs escalated to R420 million during Block’s tenure as the province’s roads and public works MEC.
Block was convicted of corruption and handed a 15-year jail sentence in 2015 for using his political influence to solicit bribes while serving as a Northern Cape official. It wasn’t until November 2018 that he began serving time, as his numerous appeals proved unsuccessful.
The Acting Provincial Head of the Hawks in the Northern Cape, Brigadier Prince Mashimbye, welcomed the arrest, saying that they will root out criminality “irrespective of when it happened in order for justice to prevail”.