John Block newsletters to go up in flames

The former MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism and ANC Provincial chairman John Block, on the front cover as well as on all of the inside pages of a departmental newsletter, has caused a stir as senior officials have order that the 5000 copies be burnt. The bundles of sealed newsletters, printed by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, about three months ago are gathering dust in their offices, after a decision was taken to prevent the magazine from being distributed to the public or other state departments. Picture: Supplied

The former MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism and ANC Provincial chairman John Block, on the front cover as well as on all of the inside pages of a departmental newsletter, has caused a stir as senior officials have order that the 5000 copies be burnt. The bundles of sealed newsletters, printed by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, about three months ago are gathering dust in their offices, after a decision was taken to prevent the magazine from being distributed to the public or other state departments. Picture: Supplied

Published Jan 25, 2016

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Northern Cape - Senior officials have ordered that 5 000 newsletters that were printed, featuring the former MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, John Block, on the front cover as well as on all of the inside pages, be burnt.

The bundles of sealed newsletters, printed by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism about three months ago, are gathering dust after a decision was taken to prevent the newsletter from being distributed to the public or other state departments.

The cost of producing “The Pioneer” newsletter is reported to be in the region of R40 000.

Block resigned from all positions in government and politics after he was found guilty of corruption and money laundering in the Northern Cape High Court last year.

He was due to appear in court on Monday for sentencing procedures, along with the CEO of Trifecta Holdings (Pty) Ltd Christo Scholtz, in connection with government leases that were awarded to the company in exchange for kickbacks.

Some staff members at the Northern Cape Department of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism believe that the instruction to destroy the newsletters stems from a campaign to rid government of anyone who is loyal to, or who supports Block.

“Officials are afraid that they will lose their jobs if they associate themselves with Block. They are even too scared to be seen in the same photograph as him,” they said.

The newsletter was delivered for distribution in the same month in which the guilty verdict was delivered in October last year.

It is believed that the department did not authorise the print-run of the first two quarterly editions, due to budgetary constraints.

The newsletter promotes Block as being a “political pioneer, remarkable, born leader and a gifted member of the executive committee”.

The articles covered, include departmental projects such as the Square Kilometre Array telescope, BRICS expo that was held in the Northern Cape, the skate plaza and the international Bloodhound project.

Numerous photographs of Block show him handing over a new, fully-furnished solar-powered house to a granny in Greenpoint, commemorating Youth Month, promoting tourism, receiving accolades, attending a small-scale mining summit and handing over donations of blankets, food and furniture that were donated by Absa Bank during a Mandela Day roadshow.

Spokesman for the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Lucky Chonga, stated that burning the newsletters meant that taxpayers’ money was going up in flames.

“The budget was authorised and the communications company and printers contracted to produce the letters were paid for their services. There is no reason not to release the newsletters as it promotes the department,” said Chonga.

Chonga is also the editor and author of the 12-page newsletter.

“Someone must take responsibility for this fruitless and wasteful expenditure that could have been used to pay for a scholar’s education or to alleviate poverty,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, the buildings belonging to the Trifecta group of companies, including the old Kimberlite Hotel which is occupied by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, as well as the Du Toit span building that is being leased by the Department of Social Development, have been placed on auction.

It is believed that the funds for the sale of the buildings will be used to fund the legal costs and possible upcoming appeal of the accused.

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