By Christopher Makaza
Citizens have negatively reacted to the increase in parking tariffs by the Harare City Council from $1 per hour to $5 saying the move will, to a larger extend, affect the already burdened motorists.
Motorists and pedestrians lambasted HCC for failing to rehabilitate parking bays and street roads using the previous tariffs and doubted if the urban council would utilise the new charge.
HCC announced that with effect from 1st of August, inner CBD tariffs will be $5 per hour and $3 per half an hour while the CBD Peripheral tariffs will be $3 per hour.
Previously the council was charging $1 and $0.50 per hour in the CBD and at the periphery respectively.
HCC also announced that it will soon introduce a mobile self-service application.
Responding to the tariff hike, Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Secretary General, Raymond Majongwe on his Twitter page posted, “Where are people supposed to get the money for all these increases?”
Corruption in Harare City Council’s traffic section, coupled with inefficiency in enforcement of traffic laws, have cost the local authority close to $30 million in the first three months of 2019, with over 490 000 vehicles enjoying free parking.
Poor enforcement and graft on the part of some traffic officers result in some motorists paying bribes of almost half the stipulated fines before their cars are unclamped and released without charge.
Impeccable sources allege that hundreds of thousands of dollars collected from city parking end up in the pockets of some corrupt elements within council’s traffic section.
The city fathers have also hiked maternity fees to $120 while consultation fees are now pegged at $50. Social analysts say this hike will contribute to the increase in maternal deaths as many pregnant women will now choose to give birth at home.
“HCC`s decision to increase maternity fees is a disaster as many women now opt to give birth at home through the assistance of unqualified mid-wives posing a major risk, especially to those who are HIV positive and require preventive measures to ensure the baby is not infected.
“We are going to experience a situation where more women lose lives before, during and after childbirth which is, however, preventable if the council as well as government health institutions charge reasonable and affordable maternal fees,” says Mr Lovemore Muroiwa, a social analyst.
Statics from the Health and Child Care ministry reveals that 143 women have already died while giving birth since the beginning of the year.
