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a joint venture between council and EasiHold of South Africa.
In its petition, copied to Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo and his Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment counterpart Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, youth em-powerment group Upfumi Kuvadiki, threatened to institute “unspecified civil action” if the demands are not met.
They also demanded that Minister Chombo and the Anti-Corruption Commission investigate the matter.
The youth organisation believes the deal is a fund raising gimmick for either greedy individuals or long term political agendas at the expense of unsuspecting motorists.
Upfumi Kuvadiki demanded that council, “should amend its by-laws to suit the current legal dispensation em-bracing the tenets of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act.”
The group demanded the immediate revocation of the tender awarded to Easipark.
A total of 400 members of the organisation signed the petition.
The youth organisation has also demanded for a “comprehensive suspension of payments to Easipark by motorists with immediate effect until an indigenous company is contracted”.
They also want the Easipark workers  to stop reporting for duty “pending re-employment by a people oriented indigenous company”.
However, Dr Mahachi defended the venture saying council engaged EasiHold (PVT) Ltd for its expertise and experience.
He said council was the indigenous partner in the deal.
The joint venture company Easipark started operating in Harare last year and bears colours of the South African flag as its symbol.
“The strategy was to secure a partner who had, not only the modern vehicle control technology but also, and more importantly, proven expertise and experience to run parking facilities as a business venture,” said Dr Mahachi.
He said the city and EasiHold share the revenue generated with council getting 60 percent at the end of the year.
The joint venture would subsist for five years after which the city would assume full ownership.
In a statement, Dr Mahachi said council also roped in EasiHold in the venture because parking infrastru-cture had collapsed and was in urgent need of repair.
A survey of the parking lots, parkades and on street parking facilities showed slight improvements from the situation before July last year.
However, booms are yet to be installed at parking lots where only shelter for the parking marshals has been provided.
Council is also installing parking meters while toilets at the Julius Nyerere Parkade are now functional.
The toilets at the Park Lane parking lot are still not functional.
Dr Mahachi chairs the Easipark management committee.
No one from the city treasury depa-rtment or the city legal department is on the management team.