John Block finally faces jail time after ‘playing the system’
Justice has finally been served following the ConCourts dismissal today of John Block’s application for leave to appeal his 15-year jail sentence for corruption and money laundering.
John Block was a front runner in the massive decline that has taken over the Northern Cape provincial government.
He created a closed crony society whereby he and his associates manipulated government business for their own personal gain. This was at the cost of service delivery and to the detriment of the economy. They did this without any consideration for the thousands of people living in the Northern Cape who are desperate for jobs and basic services to survive.
The DA was been very vocal on Block’s wheelings and dealings in government over the years that have especially impacted on health services and job creating opportunities in the province.
In fact, the DA made numerous pleas to Premier Sylvia Lucas to remove John Block from her cabinet.
The DA hopes that Block’s self-inflicted punishment will be a lesson to Sylvia Lucas, who allowed him to play the system, and to all those who continue to play the system, that crime simply doesn’t pay.
While the DA welcomes the court’s decision, it must also be noted that prison time for John Block won’t save the Northern Cape. Within the failing ANC, there are too many like Block, who still fill senior government positions and high profile political positions, through which the looting of the state continues.
The only way to clean up government, is to take power away from the failing ANC, which tolerates corruption.
The failing ANC is in too deep and it can never self-correct and become the party it once was under former President Nelson Mandela.
Block or no Block, the failing ANC is rotten to the core and must be replaced by a government that can grow the economy, not only grow the personal bank accounts of connected individuals, like Block.
Issued by Andrew Louw, DA Northern Cape Premier Candidate, 19 November 2018
