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The Democratic Alliance demands that the Premier of the Northern Cape must immediately relieve John Block of his duties as MEC for Finance. A warrant of arrest has been issued for Block following his failure to appear in court yesterday in one of the many criminal cases against him. This latest instance of utmost contempt for the court shows that he is not a fit and proper person to be in provincial government. 

A man who has been in the dock so many times is surely familiar with court procedure. It cannot be that he conveniently ‘forgot’ or ‘misunderstood’ the need for him to appear in court. As the DA, we view his contempt of the court in a very serious light and we urge the premier to do the same. 

In the past, the premier has been extremely reluctant to take any action against the MEC for Finance. Perhaps she lacks the courage or the support from the provincial ANC structures to do so. But if she is serious about rooting out corruption and maladministration in the provincial government, she’s going to have to start at the top.

Issued by DA