Lamborghinis park illegally in disabled parking bays and cause serious fury
MORNINGSIDE – Illegal parking in disabled parking bays has become a common occurrence that will persist unless offenders are punished says angered Morningside resident Emma Rosen.
A concerned Morningside resident has raised her concerns about the increase in illegal parking in disabled parking bays.
“It has become a common occurrence which will persist unless offenders are punished,” said local resident, Emma Rosen.
On 24 June, Rosen went out to supper with her family, including her disabled father, well-known retired businessman Martin Rosen, and found two Lamborghinis parked in the disabled parking spaces outside Woolworths at Morningside Shopping Centre.
“These disrespectful, ignorant and selfish owners of these cars were apparently Signature restaurant customers.”
“This sort of action is considered illegal in other countries but here no one gets it. This has happened to us time and time again at a number of shopping centres. I want people to have more awareness of this problem and have respect for disabled people,” said Rosen.
She said that her father, who has been wheelchair bound for 38 years, has experienced a number of similar incidents elsewhere. “It doesn’t matter what car you drive. The same thing happened to us three years ago, also with a patron of Signature, and they got angry at us. He thought we were nothing.”
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Rosen complained to centre manager Sharon Henry, who apologised and said she would speak to the security guards about the matter. She also received an apology from Signature staff.
Portfolio manager of marketing concepts, Mahlatse Chirwa, on behalf of Morningside Shopping Centre, said, “We would never give permission for our designated disabled parking to be used for anything other than its intended purpose. What happened in this instance is highly unusual and it is unacceptable to us.
“The organiser of the vehicle display on Saturday night used these bays without centre management’s approval. We had allocated a more suitable parking area for the display. We have taken the incident up with the organiser of the display and have also reaffirmed with our security company that access to these bays should always be exclusively for shoppers with disabilities and that this must be enforced.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to the shopper and her father.”
If you have experienced similar issues, tell us about your problem by messaging Sandton Chronicle on Facebook or emailing sarahk@caxton.co.za
