Mounting costs for police festival to be held in Bay

A TENDER to provide accommodation and meals for almost 1 000 police officials at a three-day Police Music and Cultural Unity Festival in Port Elizabeth in September has been published.

The bid notice, which appeared in weekend newspapers, states: “Service provider/s are invited to bid for the provisioning of shared accommodation [2 x beds in a room] and meals to 920 participants. Bidders who can only accommodate a lesser number of participants are also encouraged to bid.

“The required accommodation should be in and around the Port Elizabeth area only.”

The notice, which states the festival will be held between September 16 and 20, says two briefing sessions will be held at Motherwell police station on July 8 and 9.

Police top brass involved in organising the festival, known as Polmusca, remained tight-lipped about the cost, saying only that a budget of R4-million had been set aside.

Insiders, however, maintain that it would likely cost 10 times that with various operating budgets being squeezed to cover everything from transport from all over South Africa, to accommodation, food and gifts.

The extravagant affair, held in a different province every year and said to be a highlight on the police calendar, includes an official opening, a gala dinner, ballroom dancing, exhibitions, a cocktail party, potjiekos or traditional cooking competitions, and a “send-off”.

These functions are in addition to a main competition where members will battle it out for the title of the police’s leading band.

Police national spokesman Lieutenant-General Solomon Makgale yesterday failed to respond to questions relating to the festival’s budget.

Among those invited to attend are Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko, his deputy, Maggie Sotyu, and national police commissioner Riah Phiyega.