The Northern Cape High Court has postponed the case brought by Cope against MEC for finance John Block, who is also ANC provincial chairperson.

Cope filed an application last week seeking an order directing Block to disclose all his interests since he took office in government.

The matter had been scheduled to be heard yesterday but had to be postponed because of the late submission of replying affidavits from the Northern Cape legislature’s ethics committee.

The case was postponed to September. The committee’s replying affidavit was only submitted on Monday morning, less than an hour before the case was to start. The papers were apparently due to be submitted last week Friday.

Cope MPL Pakes Dikgetsi said it was clear that ANC members in the legislature were scared to hold Block to account.

“We have been asking since March 2013 that the ethics committee must investigate complaints laid by Cope. Until last week they have been refusing to meet,” Dikgetsi said.

He said the deputy speaker was trying to “quash” the complaint.

“It was only by serving them with court papers that they are coming to see that they have been in the wrong.”

He said for the past six months the ANC had used its majority to “undermine and to break the law”.

“We have been patient with them but no more. We know our complaints have merit.”

Asked if Cope was trying to score political points by taking the matter to court Dikgetsi disagreed.

“We are simply asking the court for an order that will compel the speaker and deputy speaker to stop dragging their feet and to start being serious about their jobs.”