Car guards’ working conditions are in the spotlight following a Cape Times survey.
The Department of Labour has launched an investigation into the working conditions of staff employed by Street Parking Solutions, a company contracted by the City of Cape Town.
The car marshals claim they do not get a basic salary and sometimes have to pay parking target shortfalls out of their own pockets.
The Cape Times recently spoke to some of the 174 marshals employed by the company which is used by the City to collect parking fees in the CBD.
The City said it gets a fixed monthly payment of R681 664 from the company.
The chief inspector of the provincial labour department, David Esau, said yesterday that the working conditions of street marshals had been inspected in the past but given the time lapse, further scrutiny would be necessary.
“Subsequent to this discovery [regarding salaries] this office has given instructions to conduct a fresh inspection,” Esau said.
A marshal who spoke on condition of anonymity said Street Parking Solutions was cruel. “Honestly we get no basic salary, we only get to keep what we make after target. These people are so cruel,” he said.
The marshal who has been working for the company for about a year, said in that time he had to pay target deficits at least five or six times.
“If we do not make target the one day, we can’t come to work the next day,” the marshal said.
When the Cape Times approached Street Parking Solutions for comment on the allegations, the company owner Zunade Loghdey said: “I do not have any comment regarding your enquiry”.
When asked for follow-up comment on the department’s inspection, there was no response.
Monetary targets differ from street to street. One marshal in Adderley Street will on any given day be responsible for 9 bays, and the target will be R850.
In a street off Adderley Street, a marshal is expected to make R795 from monitoring 8 bays, a marshal told the Cape Times.
Another marshal said the marshals have had to use their savings to make up for shortfalls.
“I was short R120 once. I used my own savings for that,” the marshal said.
The marshals also say they are not provided with toilets and have to rely on available facilities such as a nearby fast-food restaurant’s toilets.
There is no lunch hour, another marshal complained. “If you don’t eat by 8am, shame for you,” he said.
Another company, Numque, manages parking in Sea Point, Claremont and Bellville at a fixed monthly fee of R125 300. Numque representative, Tobie Coetzee said employees get a basic salary and are not responsible for paying in any shortfall.
“Arrangements with local business are in place for use of toilet facilities,” he said. Alternatively they use public facilities or facilities at the office”.Mayco member for Transport and Urban Development, Brett Herron, said parking tariffs are approved by the City Council. Fixed monthly payments come from two contractors according to the City’s budget.
“The money is not ring-fenced for any specific use,” Herron said.