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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO’s parking management company, Trendy Three Investments (TTI)’s, IT department is working round the clock to configure its systems so as to allow motorists to be able to transfer their parking between bays.

This follows concerns raised by groups such as the Bulawayo United Passengers Association (Bupta) and Bulawayo Residents Association (Bura) who complained that if one left a parking bay to go to another before an hour lapsed, he or she was required to pay the full amount again.

TTI runs the city’s parking management, having been awarded the tender in 2020 under a build, operate and transfer (BOT) arrangement with BCC getting 30 percent from every dollar generated.

Motorists in Bulawayo must part with US$1 or its equivalent in local currency to park for an hour, with the same amount being demanded even if one just parks for less than an hour.

Besides the transfer of parking minutes, the company also hinted at giving a waiver to senior citizens and pensioners.

Executive board chairman, Mr Lizwe Mabuza, speaking during the company’s corporate social responsibility programme in which it handed over food hampers to 1 200 underprivileged families in the city, said they have always been a people-driven organisation hence their decision to listen to suggestions that help to improve their operations while also making residents’ lives enjoyable.

“There are different ideas from various organisations like Bupta, Bura and the likes especially on the issue of one hour parking fees payment per bay. If we love our city we have to listen to such concerns. We cannot rubbish those ideas. Unfortunately, we have not been coming with responses, but as we speak right now, our IT department is working 24/7 trying to put that module which allows motorists to transfer their minutes from one bay to another. If all goes well we are hoping that our motorists will be able to transfer their minutes from one bay to another within that hour,” he said.

“This is not the only concern, there is the issue of our senior citizens, our pensioners who are surviving with little from the meagre pension payments, why should we make them pay for parking? We haven’t discussed this with the City Fathers, we are governed by by-laws in this environment but surely if asked to make these necessary adjustments here and there we have to listen because we are walking alongside the people.”

Meanwhile, Mr Mabuza said TTI is a wholly owned Zimbabwean company run by Zimbabweans, contrary to public perception that it was a South African registered company.

“Let’s not be told that this company is from South Africa, I come from Ratanang in Kezi, Matabeleland South and simply because I went to South Africa to work I am suddenly no longer Zimbabwean?

“We hear a lot of claims that we are from South Africa, that is not true, we have students at universities like Lupane State University and in South Africa whom we pay fees for, all because we see a need to,” said Mr Mabuza.

“Tendy Three Investment is Pvt Ltd, it is a Zimbabwean registered company, run by Zimbabweans, there is no South African element whatsoever. There is no legal or contractual obligation between Tendy Three South Africa and Bulawayo City Council.”

He said the company that applied for this tender was a Zimbabwean company with the only thing South African about the initiative being that their equipment comes from the neighbouring country.

“There is too much misinformation that Tendy Three Investments is coming here to loot money and take it to South Africa. Why and how would that be possible? We are employing over 200 people, all of them are our brothers and sisters, they are a demographic representation of the City of Bulawayo.

“I learnt here in Bulawayo at Northlea High School. What we are doing is showing love for our people, we love you Bulawayo.
In December last year we spent about US$45 000 as part of CSR (corporate social responsibility) despite the fact that we had not started operating. I want us to be very clear that we are identifying ourselves with the people of Bulawayo because we are from Bulawayo,” said Mr Mabuza.

Speaking at the same occasion, Bulawayo mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni said the awarding of the tender to TTI was above board and was approved by Cabinet.

“No councillor was involved in the whole tender process. TTI has created employment for our school leavers while making sure our city returned its status of orderliness and we have people saying we must get rid of them. TTI is not going anywhere,” said Clr Mguni.

In May this year, TTI donated 500 chairs and desks to Binga High School valued at US$45 000.