Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, says residents must acquaint themselves with the regulations guiding the parking company, Tendy Three Investments (TTI) (Pvt) Ltd, regarding clamping to avoid violations.
Councillor Coltart addressed Ward 4 residents on Thursday last week during the mid-year budget performance and review consultation meeting.
Former Proportional Representation councillor, Sarah Cronje, who was asking questions on behalf of fellow residents who had failed to attend the meeting, said the residents were concerned about how TTI staff clamped vehicles.
“There are times when our vehicles are clamped in parking areas where there are no demarcations or visible parking lines,” she said.
“There is also a concern on Selbourne Road. There are no markings from Ascot to Cecil Avenue and it is very dangerous, especially at the UBH turn-off. Also of concern is the quality of pothole patching. It quickly wears off. Is the council doing due diligence on quality control?”
In response, Councillor Coltart urged residents to read the bylaws that regulate TTI so that they may file complaints from an informed perspective when needed.
“TTI clamps in terms of stipulated regulations. These regulations are accessible even on online platforms. Get to know them. If you are clamped in circumstances that are not prescribed in those regulations, you have the right to lodge a formal complaint with the city council,” Councillor Coltart said.
“TTI is a work in progress. We had lawlessness in the city for a long time and it was necessary to restore order. The previous council agreed with TTI. Of course, in some instances, it has been implemented overzealously, but we are constantly in touch with them (TTI), and all we need to do is get complaints from you and try to address them.”
Addressing the issue of roads, Councillor Coltart said plans are underway to attend to Selbourne Road.
He further noted that council efforts to fix potholes and adequately rehabilitate roads are being stifled by the centralization of funds by the government.
“Our roads department has been painting roads. They have improved many of them, but obviously, some roads have not yet been addressed. We discussed Selbourne Road, not only in terms of markings but the upkeep in its entirety. It is one of our priority roads that need attention, and hopefully, it will be worked on soon,” he said.
“This city used to get revenue from vehicle licensing, which provided the city with a very large stream of steady income used to maintain our roads. But the government, in its wisdom, decided to change that policy and centralize everything to ZINARA.
“All that money goes to Harare, and we have to beg to get the money back. Last year, we only got US$800,000, yet we need a minimum of about US$15 million just for maintenance. The worst part is this money came in local currency and so it evaporated. This is one of the major challenges we are faced with.”
