Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
City Parking has expanded its self-service parking programme in Harare’s central business district, adding more streets to its digital parking system as the company accelerates its modernisation drive through artificial intelligence and automation.
In a statement, City Parking said with effect from this month, motorists using Third Street from Jason Moyo Avenue to Nelson Mandela Avenue and the interconnecting block between Simon Muzenda Street and Third Street along George Silundika Avenue will now use fully self-service parking facilities.
The company said the designated sections will no longer be manned by parking marshals, with drivers expected to pay for parking using digital platforms.
“Drivers are advised to pay for parking using available self-service payment platforms,” reads the statement.
Motorists can pay by scanning QR codes displayed on street signage, dialing *192#, using the City’s WhatsApp chatbot or through the Park Assist Mobile App.
City Parking said the expansion forms part of its broader digital transformation strategy aimed at improving efficiency and customer experience.
“As part of City Parking’s modernisation and digital transformation strategy, select parking areas will now operate on a self-service basis. We appreciate your cooperation as we continue improving your parking experience,” reads the statement.
The company said the changes were designed to enhance operational efficiency and improve the parking experience through the use of Artificial Intelligence and automation.
The latest expansion builds on the company’s phased rollout of self-service parking zones, which began with sections of Third Street between Jason Moyo Avenue and Robert Mugabe Road and Park Street between Jason Moyo Avenue and Samora Machel Avenue.
The initiative was introduced following persistent complaints from motorists over payment delays and frequent disputes with parking marshals.
A survey previously conducted by this publication at the initial self-service zones found that most motorists welcomed the system, citing faster transactions, greater convenience and fewer confrontations with attendants.
The adoption of digital parking solutions is in line with global smart-city trends, improving transparency in revenue collection while reducing congestion and operational costs.
City Parking has indicated that additional streets will gradually be incorporated into the self-service programme as the company continues to modernise parking management across Harare’s central business district.
