Bulawayo councillors have called for a speedy expansion of the vehicle parking system to cover the whole city centre in order to boost revenue collection.
Tendy Three Investments (TTI) was contracted by the local authority to manage its vehicle parking system and is charging US$1 per hour.
The local authority collects 30 percent of the fees while TTI collects 70 percent with the latter having invested about US$2.2 million into the project.
According to the arrangement, TTI will manage parking bays between Third Avenue and 15th Avenue.
TTI began collecting fees on February 18 and according to the latest council finance and development committee report, US$3 488.90, ZAR2 176.50 and ZWL1,692,198.60 had been collected by 1 April.
The money collected from violations under the same period was US$1,982.00, ZAR510.00 and ZWL636,072.00.
Council is entitled to 50 percent of the money raised from violations.
Responding to the report during a full council meeting, Wednesday, Ward 27 Councilor Alderman Siboniso Khumalo said the parking system had brought order in the city centre and the revenue will boost council coffers.
“We want the project to the spread to other areas in the city centre and we have noticed that there is congestion in other parts of the city centre as people prefer to park there especially people who conduct their businesses from their cars,” said Cllr Khumalo.
Ward 22 Councilor Rodney Jele applauded the finance and development committee for providing a report on the revenue collected from the parking fees adding that it will help the city in planning on where to channel the funds.
At the launch of the project, the local authority had said the money collected from the project will be ring-fenced and used for the rehabilitation of roads.
Acting Mayor Mlandu Ncube said there was need for assurances from the committee that the money will be used properly.
Ward 9 Councilor Donaldson Mabuto said there were about 7000 parking bays that were yet to be marked and urged the council and TTI to move with speed in expanding the project.
“If that is effected we are going to see a change in the figures that we are seeing. Like my colleague said, we would know where to channel this money. So it is my prayer that we move with speed to make sure that the 7200 bays are marked and we start collecting maximum revenue,” said Clr Mabuto.
We totally agree on expansion and maximizing revenue collection. But the logic of expanding as far as 3rd Avenue is ridiculous. The majority of 3rd road network and parking bays is in dirt. No tar is visible the buses and Kombi have made sure it’s like that and you expect us to pay parking in dirt. And what about us who stay in town do you have some kind of arrangement. Cause I will not pay for parking everyday rather I pay quarterly. First get your house in order. Then talk about expansion.