Elderly Sunridge motorist clamped on free parking area

Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter

A SENIOR citizen who is a resident of Sunridge was last week clamped while parking on a private parking area along Simon Muzenda Street.

She has since appealed to the City of Harare to have free parking for senior citizens.

“I went to my printer in town and he has private parking. I parked at the private parking and these guys (City Parking marshals) came and said you are blocking the way. I said what way am I blocking, this is a private parking but he gave me a ticket.

“When I was given the ticket, I didn’t  know where to go and pay (the fine). I didn’t know who to contact to enquire and make sure that these guys were doing the right thing. They wanted me to give them money. I said ‘sorry guys I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have broken the rules. There’s nothing to show that this is for the public, this is private’.  They wanted money from me but I don’t do that (paying bribes). You can you see it’s vindictive, they wanted money and because I wasn’t giving in, they got angry,” said Mrs Bernadette Makaya

Mrs Makaya said said she phoned someone she knows in the City of Harare traffic section for assistance.

“He (her traffic section contact) said send me a photo (of her parked car). He spoke to the parking marshal and he said she’s blocking the way. He said send me a photo. I sent pictures to the (traffic section) guy and he said ‘no you are not blocking the way but since they have already given you the ticket, there’s nothing we can do’. I didn’t have the $42 for the ticket and he said you can get somebody to come and pay for you. So I asked my daughter to pay for me.”

She said she didn’t mind paying the fine but the City of Harare must have consideration for elderly people.

“Can you imagine if I was sick or if I had diabetes or high blood pressure and had to walk all that way to pay (the fine).

“I was supposed to pay Old Mutual building along Nelson Mandela Avenue. There are two Old Mutual buildings and you go to the first one if it is a green ticket. I had a pink ticket so I had to go further down,” said Mrs Makaya.

Mrs Makaya said she wrote to Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume requesting free parking for the elderly.

“Like in Bulawayo and Gweru, senior citizens have free parking.

“Why can’t the capital of Zimbabwe do a better job?

“He (Mafume) sent me this magazine to say we are talking about it,” she said.

In her letter to Councillor Mafume, Mrs Makaya said Harare should emulate cities like Bulawayo where elderly motorists get free parking.

“Due to our age, we do not frequent the CBD except for urgent situations resulting in us spending not more than an hour.

“We would greatly appreciate your consideration on this matter to aid the limitations which accompany old age, such as aches and pains, fatigue, forgetfulness, financial incapacity and slowness,” Mrs Makaya said.

Contacted for comment, City of Harare spokesperson Mr Stanley Gama urged senior citizens to visit Town House with their request.

“Senior citizens can come to Town House to negotiate issues concerning parking,” he said.