The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Reporter
THE City of Bulawayo and Tendy Three Investments Private Limited (TTI) have reviewed the smart parking pricing model with immediate effect.
Under the new arrangement, motorists will now be able to transfer their paid parking time to different parking bays during the time that they would have paid for with effect from today (Wednesday).
“For example, a motorist can purchase a US$1 per hour, or its equivalent pegged at the ongoing bank rate of the RBZ auction Rate, parking at Bay A and can move to Bay B or Bay C etc. within their hour without being charged parking fees during the one (1) hour that they would have purchased. The system will deduct minutes as the motorists park in different bays in the one hour,’’ reads the statement issued by BCC.
Before the adjustment, motorists were required to pay at the next parking spot even though they had not yet exhausted their one hour in the previous bay.
BCC said the pricing adjustment follows extensive consultations with stakeholders and recognises the prevailing harsh economic environment. The City remains committed to ensuring that motorists have access to parking bays through the deployment of state of the art global technological systems.
After a technical glitch forced TTI to have motorists pay to the EcoCash personal account of its managing director Bongani Nyathi, the partners in the project announced that payment methods are also being strengthened so that all the parking fees are remitted to designated company accounts with the project bankers are seized with perfecting a transparent and an accountable banking system supported by a robust Information technology solution.
A gathering of all stakeholders is being planned to obtain views from all those concerned.
“The City of Bulawayo and its technical partner will continue to engage all stakeholders and is planning an all Stakeholders Indaba in due course to get a review and further feedback and input on the new system and continue developing a way forward in ensuring that Bulawayo is turned into a global smart city through implementing global smart parking solutions,’’ BCC said.
“The Public Private Partnership under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement is aimed at creating revenue for the City of Bulawayo and provides employment to hundreds of residents of the
City. Funds obtained from the smart parking venture will assist in rehabilitating the City’s roads and through implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
“We remain committed in ensuring an overall improvement of the customer experience and interface,’’ further stated BCC.
Speaking at the Large City Hall on Tuesday when the company donated 1 200 food parcels, TTI executive chairman Lizwe Mabuza stated that their engineers were working around the clock to ensure that the system is adjusted after an outcry from the motorists in the city.
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