Saps mum on cost of cop party

2010-01-25 22:04

Bloemfontein - The cost of bringing about 50 000 police officers to Bloemfontein to celebrate national Police Day will be disclosed later, Commissioner Bheki Cele's office said on Monday.

"The information on the budget would be made available in due course. It would be before the event or even after the event," his spokesperson Nonkululeko Mbatha said.

Mbatha said it would be a one-day event and that the police officers would be brought to Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein by trains and buses.

"There is a transport plan and a plan in place to carry the event forward," she said.

Nobody would sleep over in the city as the costs only included transport and food for the day.

Democratic Alliance MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard said whatever the cost, there could be "absolutely" no justification for any "profligate spending" on a party.

She urged the minister of police to explain how much would be spent on entertainment, transport and meals.

Numerous resource problems

The DA also wanted to know how spending money on a party for 50 000 invitees could be justified when the police faced numerous resource problems.

The event was hardly a morale booster for victims of crime who dialled 10111, only to be placed on hold due to understaffed call centres, she said.

The Azanian People's Organisation also criticised taking 50 000 police officials "off-beat" on Friday.

Spokesperson David Lebethe said the event was unthinkable in the midst of so much crime.

He said police visibility on the country's streets had not yielded any dividends in the fight against crime. The police department should instead give officers bonuses.

"This would surely be a good morale booster after police salaries were increased not so long ago," he said.
 

- SAPA