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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter

Lately in Bulawayo’s city centre, groups of grey uniformed men maraud the streets, hunting for motorists who park at undesignated areas to clamp their vehicles.

Like clockwork, the moment a motorist parks in these areas, within a short time the men descend on the motor vehicle and clamp it.

The crew travels on foot, while some will be in an open truck written Tendy Three International (TTI) and their uniforms are written TTI Enforcement on their backs.

It does not matter if the motorist is in his or her vehicle, the maroon beret, bright orange and black boot wearing men swarm the car and immediately clamp it.

TTI has a group of what it calls “Enforcers”, who move around the streets of the city centre, with blue wheel clamps on their shoulders, hunting for vehicles that park in undesignated places.

According to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) over 50 vehicles are clamped daily on undesignated parking areas in Bulawayo’s city centre since a new parking system came into effect in February this year following a partnership between council and the South African company, TTI.

Motorists are required to pay $2 190 to drive away their cars that would have been clamped.

This translates to around $110 000 revenue from fines per day.

The local authority and its partner TTI share 50:50 from fines paid by motorists whose vehicles would have been clamped while revenue generated from parking fees is shared on a 70 to 30 percent ratio in favour of TTI.

Since the implementation of the new parking system in February this year on a zone stretching from Samuel Parirenyatwa to Lobengula Street and from 3rd Avenue to 15th Avenue, parking on the peripheries of this area has filled up as motorists run away from paying at US$1 per hour or at the prevailing auction rate.

Initially the price was pegged at US$1 for 30 minutes, but council bowed down to pressure and reduced it following a public outcry.

Transgressions include parking on yellow lines, on taxi and disabled parking bays or just those who park in the middle of the road and leave their vehicle there.

A Chronicle news crew yesterday observed that along 8th Avenue between Fife Street and Robert Mugabe next to the Zupco rank at City Hall, pirate taxis seem to be able to pay for their bay to park there and load their passengers.

TTI personnel will be milling in and around the area, where four or five bays are occupied at a time and the moment the pirate taxi is full of passengers, they leave not before paying the US$1 to the attendants there.

Besides those “permanent” parkers, the bays are empty like in many areas around the zone.

BCC spokesperson Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said 50 vehicles are clamped daily.

“Plus, or minus 50 vehicles are clamped on a daily basis.

No vehicle has been impounded due to that they pay before they are towed away.

The most common offence is parking at undesignated zones and that costs $2 190,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She said the enforcement team has been in place since the start of the system from February 18.

Mrs Mpofu said TTI “Enforcers” are not duplicating roles with council police.

“The duties of the enforcement team and jurisdiction are outlined in the SI 63/2015 – Bulawayo City Council (Clamping and Tow Away) By Laws and the contract between Bulawayo City Council and Tendy Three Investments Private Limited.

Their duties entail clamping vehicles parked in contravention of City of Bulawayo clamping and Tow away by-laws.

They are effecting the statute in the area under the contract which is from Samuel Parirenyatwa to Lobengula Street and from 3rd Avenue to 15th Avenue even though some areas are yet to be covered in terms of smart parking.

They are doing this in partnership with Council as per the conditions of the contract,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She said TTI collects fees on behalf of city council.

“The mandate for TTI to collect parking fees and clamping is derived from the Urban Councils Act Chapter (142b) as read with SI 63/15 item 3. Item 3 states that: – In these by Laws – ‘Authorised person’ means any person employed or delegated by Council to carry out any function in terms of these by laws,” she said.

“It also has to be noted that TTI is in a Build Operate and Transfer Public Private Partnership agreement with BCC.

According to ZIDA Act 10/2019 TTI as a counterparty assumes public authority thereby enabling it to discharge functions on behalf of BCC with full public authority.”

Last month, listed fast-food chain, Simbisa Brands, said it is losing about 30 percent of revenue due to loss of potential business linked to the contentious parking fees in Bulawayo’s city centre.

It operates popular brands such as Nando’s, Steers, Haefelis, Baker’s Inn, Pizza Inn, Creamy Inn and Chicken Inn, where the paid parking bays are found.

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