POLOKWANE – On November 15, 2019 the Polokwane Municipality introduced the on-street parking management within the city saying it is an effort to ensure that there is adequate parking space for motorists, and safety of vehicles when parked in the city.
In a statement released after they hosted a provincial executive committee meeting on June 5, the PAC communicated its intention to write to the Polokwane Municipality and the department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) urging them to urgently review the parking fees which they party says robs people of their hard earned money.
The chairperson of the PAC in Limpopo, Dr Pitso Mpasha, said they take into account that there are suitable citizens employed for this particular task.
“We are saying the current employees should be directed to do other tasks such as patching potholes and this will save the municipality money without waiting for this long process of tendering which enables corruption.”
Asked what their experience with on-street parking fees has been like, a few residents who spoke to Polokwane Observer on condition of anonymity seemed to share the sentiments that the prices are unreasonable.
One resident of Polokwane said: “I don’t pay for the following reasons: I don’t remember there being a consultation with the residents. It’s ridiculously priced, R8 for literally 1 minute. What is the money for? What is the purpose.”
Another resident said: “I do not pay at all, the fee is ridiculous. The attendants even want you to pay when dropping people off. Theirs is to hound us and they never check our cars they leave it to those “street boys” and yet expect us to pay both them and the boys. The municipal might as well scrap this thing.”
“The attendants contribute nothing to the safety of the cars. I hardly pay. It’s ridiculous, to say the least. R8 is a lot of money,” another said.
According to Polokwane Municipality’s website, the system is administered by an independent contractor on behalf of the municipality, with operating hours being from 08:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and 08:00 to 13:00 on public holidays.
Spokesperson Thipa Selala commented that the pricing was guided by public participation sessions held with stakeholders prior to the implementation of on-street parking.
“This was approved by council. The service provider hired to collect on behalf of Polokwane Municipality is Park-Point. As and when the municipality wishes to increase or reduce the pricing, there will be public participation process to engage affected stakeholders to make inputs and comments.”
