Police partygate scandal - so how much will it cost, Mr. Minister?

It is greatly revealing that, despite pledging to release full details about the costs of the police ‘partygate' scandal, the Department has yet to do so. Since the minister's spokesperson stated quite clearly yesterday that this information would be available today, we hope that the Police Ministry will be true to their word. However, the fact of the matter is that whatever this scandal has cost - R10-million, R50-million or R100-million - there can be absolutely no justification for such profligate spending on a party.

We are calling on the minister to explain:

• The exact costs of this event - including full details of entertainment, transport, meals, events, and all other costs associated with this event.
• How this event could possibly not place law enforcement operations in danger.
• How the logistics for arranging such an enormous event did not further detract from ordinary police work.
• How he can justify the costs associated with a party for 50,000 invitees when the SAPS faces so many pressing resource constraints.

The minister's spokesperson called this party a "morale booster" for the SAPS. It's hardly, though, a morale booster for the thousands of victims of crime who dial the 10111 number, only to be placed on hold because of the chronic understaffing of our national emergency call centres. Arranging a party for 50,000 tells us a lot about where the Police's priorities are right now.

The minister's spokesperson has already confirmed the veracity of a number of key points that we made yesterday. These include the fact that 50,000 SAPS members will be attending - just under one out of every three police officers in South Africa - and that enormous resources will be diverted towards a party.

Yesterday, the SAPS spokesperson promised that a figure would be made public today, which has not yet been revealed. Whatever the final figure comes to - half of what we say, double what we say - we will be staring the gross wastage of public funds right in the eye. We are also most interested to note that the police spokesperson claims that there are absolutely no accommodation expenses associated with a massive event being attended by 50,000 people. Somehow we find that unlikely; we will submit parliamentary questions to get to the bottom of this.

Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of police, January 25 2010

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