BCC, residents clash over smart parking fees

BULAWAYO residents are up in arms against the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) after it contracted Tendy Three Investment (Pvt) Ltd (TTI) to collect parking fees, which residents feel are exorbitant and will frustrate business.

BCC spokesperson Nesisa Mpofu said council, in partnership with Tendy Three had commenced levying charges on 147 parking bays which are categorised as Zone One in the central business district.

“The parking fees are classified in the different zones and have different tariffs.

“Zone One will cost US$1 for half an hour; and that is prime parking. Zone Two costs US$1 for an hour which is ordinary parking,” she said.

Tendy Three won a multimilliondollar tender for the installation of a parking management system in Bulawayo under the build, operate and transfer framework.

The contract is for an initial sixyear period with the option of a further four years.

Thereafter, the project will be transferred for a permanent takeover by BCC.

Mpofu said the parking management system would be rolled out in phases.

“Phase one covers Leopold Takawira to 11th Avenue and Fife Street to JM Nkomo Street (Zone One — prime parking). The second phase to the sixth phase will be an expansion from the area covered by the first phase until the whole city is encompassed,” she said.

The parking management system is expected to address numerous violations of SI 63/2015 (Bulawayo Clamping and Tow Away By-laws) and a fine of US$20 will be applied upon violating any of the laws.

In a statement, TTI also said it aimed to provide security for vehicles through Closed Circuit Television.

Mpofu said the project was expected to improve revenue collection, create jobs, order and sanity in the city and manage the smooth flow of traffic.

However, residents said the charges are exorbitant and did not promote business in the city.

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