The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
BULAWAYO motorists continue boycotting the parking management system that was introduced in the city in February amid revelations that the local authority has managed to rack in below expected revenues in parking fees in the past three months.
Since the introduction of the system in the city, both motorists and residents have raised a red flag accusing the Bulawayo City Council and Tendy Three Investments of not consulting them and further vowing to boycott bays that have the system installed.
This saw the local authority getting rid of what they term prime parking bays where motorists were expected to pay US$1 for 30 minutes. Now motorists are required to pay US$1 for an hour or the local currency equivalent.
According to the latest council report, since the introduction of the parking system they have raised US$1 506, ZAR1 666 and ZW$1 million in parking fees. The other money that has been raised has been through the clamping of vehicles in the city, which has helped double the otherwise low revenue with US$1 982, ZAR510 and ZWL$636 000 being raised.
“Tendy Three Investment (Pvt) Ltd started collecting parking fees under the first phase of the Public Private Partnership arrangement on 18 February, 2022. Council got 30 percent of parking fees proceeds and its 50 percent on clamping fees,” reads the report.
According to this ratio, the local authority received a total of US$1 442, ZAR754 and ZWL$618 000 since TTI took over the parking management in the city.
“The Town Clerk (Mr Christopher Dube) explained that the delays in implementing the parking management system in the whole Central Business District were a result of challenges faced by council in demarcating and marking roads.
These challenges were attributed by unavailability of material. He further advised that the parking charges were informed by the amount of time it would take for the contractor to recoup the capital that they had injected into the project,” reads the report.
Councillors have on the other hand laughed off residents’ complaints over the parking fees, instead they have called on TTI and the local authority to move with speed in spreading the system to the rest of the city.
Speaking during a full council meeting on Wednesday, Ward 27 Councillor, Alderman Siboniso Khumalo said the local authority was for the first time receiving “real revenue” from parking in the city, hence they could not give in to residents’ outcry to get rid of the system.
“We have heard a lot of public outcry over the fees that were being charged for parking, however, getting such money as US$3 000 will enable us to do some development in the city. I would like to commend fellow councillors for awarding this tender because Bulawayo is now clean, there is now order in the CBD. If possible, we request that TTI and the local authority spread the system to all the parking bays in the city, as we notice that those bays without the system are now congested,” said Ald Khumalo.
Ward Nine Councillor, Donaldson Mabutho said with the spreading of the system to all the parking bays, the local authority would be able to further increase its revenue base.
“If council and the partner may move with speed in implementing the project in the entire city. I understand there are about 7 200 parking bays in the city, if that is effected, we are going to see a change in the figures we are seeing. It is my prayer that we move with speed to make sure that the 7 200 parking bays are marked and we start collecting maximum revenue,” said Clr Mabutho.
Meanwhile, the local authority has since resolved to terminate parking bay leases in the CBD for the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the Judicial Service Commission for the implementation of the city’s parking management system. Over the years BCC had resolved to lease out three parking bays situated at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street and 8th Avenue to Coghlan and Welsh, 19 parking bays at 8th Avenue to Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and 22 parking bays at the Bulawayo magistrates court to the Judicial Service for parking purposes. The leases were for a period of five years.
“The Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (Zida) and Council awarded Tendy Three Private Limited the bid to partner with the City of Bulawayo in the implementation of the City’s Parking Management System. The management of the city’s parking system had now begun in earnest.
It was against this backdrop that the parking bay leases for the Judicial Service Commission and Zimra be terminated forthwith. The leases had been given six months’ notice effective from 1st April 2022 to 30 September 2022 as per the provisions of the Lease Agreements signed,” reads the council report.
The local authority revealed that after the expiry of the six months’ notice period, the leases were free to approach TTI to negotiate for another lease or arrangement.
