Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
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MOTORISTS have expressed mixed feelings over the recent decision by the Gwanda Municipality to introduce paid parking in the town.
The local authority is working on modalities to introduce paid parking as part of efforts to improve revenue collection in the mining town and to retain order.
While some motorists have said the development will help to control the amount of traffic in the Central Business District, others have cited that it will inconvenience those who work in the town.
Other motorists have said they cannot afford paid parking due to economic challenges,
“There is a need for the municipality to come up with an effective system that won’t inconvenience us who work in the CBD and have to park our cars throughout the day.
While the council wants to improve its revenue collection, as business people, we also pay rates to council for our operations and they need to consider that we need to spend the whole day in town working.
“There is also a need for the council to first improve on the road markings before they start charging us for parking our vehicles in the CBD,” said Mr Eric Moyo.
Another motorist, Mrs Sibongile Nkomo said paid parking will help to ease congestion in the CBD. She said sometimes it becomes difficult to find parking as some motorists leave their vehicles parked for hours.
Gwanda mayor, Alderman Thulani Moyo said the council is working on modalities on whether it will run the paid parking system or we will engage a partner.
He said the council has been losing out on a lot of revenue, which they are supposed to be collecting through paid parking. He said this money will assist in funding road maintenance works.
