Plans to increase revenue through parking fees in King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality have failed dismally as the municipality do not have parking marshals for more than half of Mthatha’s busy streets.
Last year KSD awarded a parking meter tender to a private firm to provide parking services in the city’s busy CBD.
The plan was meant to ease off traffic and discourage illegal parking to provide space for motorists shopping in town.
With the plan fully functional, the struggling municipality was looking to receive a huge financial injection from revenue.
But currently only parts of York Road, Owen, Sutherland and Leeds Road have parking marshals.
In Owen Street, the marshals only charge vehicles from where Owen Road joins Elliot Street to Leeds Road.
Parts of Owen Road, where the KD Matanzima Building, department of home affairs and Nelson Mandela Museum are located, do not have parking marshals.
The only part of Leeds Road where marshals are stationed, is in front of the magistrate’s court and town hall. There are no marshals on Victoria Street where the high court, gym, Mthatha High School, old library, Unisa and other businesses are located.
There are also no marshals in Mthatha’s two busiest streets – Madeira and Sprigg – which form part of the N2.
On Madeira Street, motorists say they find it difficult to manoeuvre as some people are double-parked. Parking bays on Sprigg Street are normally occupied by delivery trucks from small hardware stores.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said there were still plans to have more marshals in all streets in the CBD.
“There are good plans in place to ensure that the entire CBD has parking marshals to make sure the city’s traffic system is well managed,” he said.
“They will not just bill motorists for parking but will also assist the public and authorities prevent car theft. Their presence on our roads will deter car thieves from stealing vehicles in town.
“Currently we have well-trained marshals. The new group which will be introduced in due course will join a well managed and efficient system,” he added.
Motorists in town say KSD has failed them by not providing marshals. Siphe Tonase who lives in Sibangweni outside Mthatha said: “The idea is good but not having parking marshals in Madeira Street is a huge mistake.
“On Fridays we find it hard to drive from Nelson Mandela Drive down Madeira because there are people who illegally park and block traffic flow,” Tonase said.
“The sooner they fill all these roads the better.”
Another motorist, Nomzamo Jikijela, who works in town, said some vehicle owners left their vehicles in the CBD from 7am till 5pm, preventing other motorists from parking during the day.
“Most of them are teachers who work in rural areas in Mqanduli and other areas outside Mthatha. They park in town and leave their cars here for hours.
“People who work in the CBD struggle to find parking bays because of this,” he said.
KSD parking plans in dead-end
Last year KSD awarded a parking meter tender to a private firm to provide parking services in the city’s busy CBD.
The plan was meant to ease off traffic and discourage illegal parking to provide space for motorists shopping in town.
With the plan fully functional, the struggling municipality was looking to receive a huge financial injection from revenue.
But currently only parts of York Road, Owen, Sutherland and Leeds Road have parking marshals.
In Owen Street, the marshals only charge vehicles from where Owen Road joins Elliot Street to Leeds Road.
Parts of Owen Road, where the KD Matanzima Building, department of home affairs and Nelson Mandela Museum are located, do not have parking marshals.
The only part of Leeds Road where marshals are stationed, is in front of the magistrate’s court and town hall. There are no marshals on Victoria Street where the high court, gym, Mthatha High School, old library, Unisa and other businesses are located.
There are also no marshals in Mthatha’s two busiest streets – Madeira and Sprigg – which form part of the N2.
On Madeira Street, motorists say they find it difficult to manoeuvre as some people are double-parked. Parking bays on Sprigg Street are normally occupied by delivery trucks from small hardware stores.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said there were still plans to have more marshals in all streets in the CBD.
“There are good plans in place to ensure that the entire CBD has parking marshals to make sure the city’s traffic system is well managed,” he said.
“They will not just bill motorists for parking but will also assist the public and authorities prevent car theft. Their presence on our roads will deter car thieves from stealing vehicles in town.
“Currently we have well-trained marshals. The new group which will be introduced in due course will join a well managed and efficient system,” he added.
Motorists in town say KSD has failed them by not providing marshals. Siphe Tonase who lives in Sibangweni outside Mthatha said: “The idea is good but not having parking marshals in Madeira Street is a huge mistake.
“On Fridays we find it hard to drive from Nelson Mandela Drive down Madeira because there are people who illegally park and block traffic flow,” Tonase said.
“The sooner they fill all these roads the better.”
Another motorist, Nomzamo Jikijela, who works in town, said some vehicle owners left their vehicles in the CBD from 7am till 5pm, preventing other motorists from parking during the day.
“Most of them are teachers who work in rural areas in Mqanduli and other areas outside Mthatha. They park in town and leave their cars here for hours.
“People who work in the CBD struggle to find parking bays because of this,” he said.
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