The Bulawayo City Council impounded several vehicles parked overnight in undesignated areas across western suburbs, including Emganwini, Nketa, and Nkulumane, on Sunday night. The vehicles were found parked outside car parks, as well as at shopping centres and fuel stations.
Moxen Moyo, the owner of a local car park, told Chronicle that many vehicle owners have been bypassing his facility in favour of the “cheaper” alternative provided by parking at fuel stations. He said:
The security guard at the fuel station has been charging the vehicle owners R10 overnight and some have been avoiding using the registered car park in order not to pay the US$1 that we charge per night.
This morning those that park their cars at the fuel station woke up to find the vehicles gone.
Deputy Mayor, Councillor Edwin Ndlovu, said the operation is part of enforcing long-standing by-laws that govern the parking of vehicles in undesignated areas overnight. He said:
The Bulawayo City Council will continue to enforce standing by-laws such as the one that speaks to the improper parking of vehicles in undesignated places overnight.
The council will not give notices when enforcing standing by-laws. A notice before enforcement is only sent out when the by-law is new.
We encourage residents to abide by the by-laws of the city all the time to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law.
Some of the by-laws stipulate that vehicles that are abandoned are given a 10-day notice to be removed. If not claimed, the council will tow them to a secure compound at the owner’s expense.
Vehicles that are dirty, have punctured tyres, or are unlicensed are also impounded and taken to a secure compound at the owner’s expense.
Push carts are not allowed in the Central Business District (CBD). Violators are fined, and their push carts are impounded.
The council publishes a list of immobilised vehicles in a newspaper and advises owners to claim them within 30 days. If vehicles are not claimed within 30 days, they will be sold at a public auction.
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