ure , ▁Land ▁Reform , ▁R ural ▁Development , ▁Environment ▁and ▁Conserv ation . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers ies ▁ ▁Link s ▁to ▁John ▁Block ▁Van ▁St aden ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁business ▁partner ▁of ▁John ▁Block . ▁He ▁was ▁imp licated ▁in ▁an ▁investigation ▁regarding ▁his ▁business ▁links ▁to ▁Block ▁involving ▁the ▁le ase ▁of ▁municipal ▁properties ▁in ▁Up ington . ▁Block ' s ▁company ▁had ▁deb ts ▁amount ing ▁to ▁R 1 6 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁These ▁deb ts ▁were ▁written ▁off ▁by ▁the ▁Up ington ▁municipal ▁council ▁when ▁Van ▁St aden ▁served ▁as ▁mayor . ▁Van ▁St aden ▁and ▁Block ▁were ▁also ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁salt ▁mine , ▁SA ▁S out werke . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁People ' s ▁Assembly ▁– ▁G ift ▁van ▁St aden ▁N CP LE G ▁Profile ▁: ▁Mr ▁G ift ▁van ▁St aden ▁ ▁Category : L iving ▁people ▁Category : 1 9 6 2 ▁birth s ▁Category : X h osa ▁people ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Up ington ▁Category : A fr ican ▁National ▁Congress ▁polit icians ▁Category : M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Cape ▁Provin cial ▁Legisl ature ▁Category : 2 0 th - century ▁South ▁African ▁polit icians ▁Category : 2 1 st - century ▁South ▁African ▁polit icians ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁P ix ley ▁ka ▁S eme ▁District ▁Municip ality ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Z F ▁M g ca w u ▁District ▁Municip ality <0x0A> </s> ▁is ▁a ▁Japanese ▁film ▁mak er ▁and