BMC dumps Lobatse Beef Festival at 11th hour
Sharon Mathala | Thursday May 26, 2016 14:09
BMC has been a major sponsor of the meat festival since inception in 2013.
A press statement released Tuesday morning by BMC stated: “Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) would like to clarify to members of the public that it is not part nor sponsor in any kind, of this year’s Lobatse International Beef Festival. BMC is advised to correct and declare its position about the event, given the repeated call-ins and enquiries from some members of the public about ticket sales and any other information related to the event. All enquiries should therefore be addressed to the event (LIBF) organisers”. Showbiz could not get a hold of event organiser, Barolong Seboni. However, Showbiz is reliably informed that this does not come as a shock to the organisers. They were foretold that their contract with BMC will not be effective this year.
Showbiz could not confirm who will replace BMC as the show is less than two weeks away. Insiders have tipped off Showbiz that this setback is as a result of a falling out between BMC and the organisers. “People generally assumed the show is for and by BMC. And with the negative reports that most people were short of meat at a meat festival, this did not sit well with the BMC,” said a source. This year’s installment is scheduled for June 4, 2016. The event will be hosted at its traditional venue at the Lobatse Recreational Town Park.
This year the event will be one day event unlike in the previous year when the meat fest came in three phases. For this year’s event the organisers have also said that they will be aligning themselves with the country’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The festivity will start with a cycling event on Botswana’s first five-kilometre road to be tarred, leading to the official opening. There will also be a motorbike motorcade prior to assembling at the park where there will be various corporate marquees and beef products.