Suspend Trifecta officials: CDP

The two Northern Cape MECs implicated in the Trifecta Group case should be suspended, the Christian Democratic Party said.

"There is no reason, no matter how desperate it may be, that the two Northern Cape MECs Alvin Botes and John Block, should not be suspended," said CDP leader Theunis Botha.

On Friday, the High Court in Pretoria granted an order for shares in the Trifecta Group to be forfeited.

Northern Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Mashudu Malabi said the shares -- worth R20 million -- belonged to one of the accused in a Northern Cape fraud and corruption case.

The court found that the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) had proved that the ordinary shares were corrupt payments or kickbacks made to Northern Cape social services MEC Botes for his "collusive behaviour" in assisting the Trifecta Group to win a large tender to lease a building at an excessive rental.

It was estimated that the total rental to be paid by the state was about R8m above market rates.

Botes did not oppose the application.

The other people implicated in corruption case are the director of Trifecta Alfeus Scholtz, Northern Cape African National Congress leader and finance MEC John Block, Botes and Northern Cape ANC treasurer and MP Yolanda Botha.

Malabi said the AFU had frozen about R130m in the Trifecta matter --about R70m from Trifecta and shares and property worth about R20m each from Botes, Block and Botha.

Botes together with Botha, Block and others were arrested by the Hawks, and the criminal prosecution was expected to commence in August 2013.

The CDP called for suspension of the officials involved in the crime.

"The Block saga has for too long been damaging to the country's image and has been a millstone around its neck," he said.