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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Cash-strapped Gweru City Council has introduced an overnight clamping schedule where motorists found wrongly parked are made to pay US$85 as a fine in a bid to improve revenue.
The local authority is reportedly owing workers three months’ salary arrears and the move to introduce the night clamping was reportedly agreed in a management meeting last week as the local authority desperately needs to improve revenue collection.
According to council sources, Mr Tapiwa Marerwa was tasked to spearhead the programme and has since opened a 24-hour office at the townhouse where motorists would be paying the fines at night.
Some motorists, however, questioned the council bylaws that the local authority was using to clamp them at night.
Gweru Mayor Clr Martin Chivoko today confirmed the introduction of the overnight clamping system but could not provide the city bylaw to support the move.
“I don’t think there is a need for a bylaw about that programme. Motorists who are being clamped at night will be parked at undesignated points or dangerously parked. They will be breaking the law and endangering other motorists so they will be clamped for that offence,” he said.
A legal expert and Gweru Lawyer, Ms Constance Madzudzu, said there was a need to pass a city bylaw for the council to introduce a 24-hour clamping system.
“From what I know which is legally correct, there are clamping zones and clamping hours which are clearly displayed around the city centre to warn motorists and would-be offenders. Buy they then waylay motorists at night clamping them while claiming to be enforcing the same city bylaw which stipulates times, zones, hours and dates then thus legally wrong,” she said.
Gweru City Council contracted a private company, Gweru City Park, which is now responsible for parking and clamping in the CBD. The company operates for eight hours between 8 am and 4 pm during the week.
But lately, Gweru city council workers have taken over the streets from 5 pm until 6 am the following day clamping motorists found wrongly parked around the CBD while collecting $85 from each offender.
Clr Chivoko said the fine was strictly in USD.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter