After a month of protests, petitions and overall public outcry, the KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) is relooking at the pay parking system and concessions have been made while further suggestions are under review.
The revenue-generating system introduced on November 1, imposed a fee of R6 an hour for public bays in Stanger, Shakaskraal, Ballito and Umhlai CBD.
One of the new concessions is that the system will be put on hold in Shakaskraal CBD as the road belongs to the KZN transport department and not to KDM.
There will also be no charge in public bays outside Stanger Hospital.
This comes after a public meeting was held three weeks ago, where a task team made up of 12 community and business representatives was formed to iron out issues and put forward recommendations regarding the scheme.
Also read: Pay parking concession?
In a feedback report presented to the KDM council on December 12, the recommendations put forward by the task team, that are set to be negotiated with the service provider Vusa Isipho Trading, may see the Ballito Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) hire formalised “parking monitors.”
If approved, the plan will see Ballito Village property owners pay a monthly parking fee through their contribution to the UIP.
Further recommendations include a 30-minute parking tariff of R3, that there be an hour free parking for customers in commercial areas and that there be a concession for 11 property owners who contributed to the municipal parking fund.
There is currently about R2 million in the fund after business owners paid for municipal parking when their property plan did not accommodate staff parking.
However, while the recommendations are being negotiated, the parking system will be carried out as it was originally planned. KDM municipal services executive director Cecil Veramuthu warned that KDM traffic officers can and will be fining motorist who refuse to pay for parking.
Also read: Rethink on pay parking
Following complaints from outraged motorists in Ballito over being forced by traffic officers into paying the R6 charge, Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers association (DOCCRA) chairperson Ken Lever said he was seriously disturbed.
He said he believed the system was to be put on hold in Ballito until all the issues were resolved.
“It was believed that the system has been put on hold in Ballito as it was brought up at the community meeting that businesses in lower Ballito were at a serious disadvantage.”
However, one of the employees from the Ballito business park, Privi Naidoo said the staff were still not giving in to paying for parking.
“When the marshals approach us, we simply say that we have no money. There have not yet been any problems and the marshals just walk away.”
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