Cape Town - Business owners at the Mitchells Plain Town Centre have been accused of hoarding public parking spaces while customers’ cars parked outside the centre are risking break-ins and exorbitant parking fees.
Mitchells Plain Village Civic Association secretary Lamees Moosa said from early morning until late when the shops close, the free public spaces are occupied.
“All around the centre there are gates installed where security guards are monitoring. We have noticed that at the parking area in front of the Mother of Plain butchery, security guards don't allow the public to park there, saying the parking is always full. The same butchery has a paid private parking but the owners park in the public spaces,” she said.
Moosa said as yearly budgets were being set aside, nothing was done to upgrade infrastructure. She said it made her “heartsore to think that we are heading in a direction where the town centre is on the verge of being privatised”.
“If you go with someone that needs to go to a doctor you aren't allowed to go in and should you park outside the gates the law enforcement fines you. The population has grown in Mitchells Plain and a lot of people now have cars, but that doesn't mean they are in the top wage bracket.
“Someone might be disabled and unable to walk long distances, and cannot be judged based on the fact that they are now travelling by car and should pay for parking,” said Moosa.
Mitchells Plain United Hawkers Forum secretary Shireen Rowland said hawkers were also not allowed to park inside the town centre and were required to offload their trucks outside.
Ward councillor Solomon Philander said he was aware of the complaints from the community.
“When there was no management there was a traffic challenge of double parking and congestion in the area. We also had traders accessing the town centre ,which is a non-motorised area. Loading zones are clearly marked. Businesses were allowed one to two bays, depending on the business.
“The informal traders get access for a limited time to offload. Opposite the parking in question, Mother of the Plain Butcher customers have allocated paid parking,” he said.
Philander said there was limited space for parking due to the infrastructure.
Cape Argus