Bulawayo, Zimbabwe — Some residents in Bulawayo’s suburbs woke up to an unpleasant surprise as they found their cars missing, having been towed away by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) for being parked in undesignated areas overnight.
The council’s recent blitz targeted cars parked outside registered car parks in various neighborhoods, including Nketa, Emganwini, Nkulumane, and New Magwegwe.
The operation, which started over the weekend, is part of an ongoing initiative to enforce city by-laws, specifically those governing overnight parking.
Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu confirmed that the council is strictly enforcing long-standing regulations that prohibit the parking of vehicles outside designated zones.
“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,” Deputy Mayor Ndlovu said in an interview.
He clarified that no prior notice was needed for this enforcement as the by-law is already in effect. “A notice before enforcement is only sent out when the by-law is new,” he added.
Vehicle owners in affected areas, including those who parked near fuel stations, shopping centers, and outside car park perimeters, are now facing fines to retrieve their vehicles. Cars towed during the operation have been relocated to the BCC impound facility along Khami Road, where they await retrieval by their owners.
Mr. Dumisani Mlilo, a local resident, discovered his car was among those impounded early Monday morning. “My car is being kept at the BCC impound yard along Khami Road, but I have no idea how much the council will charge in order to release it,” he said.
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BCC security at the facility reported that around 35 cars were impounded during the latest enforcement sweep, and vehicle owners must provide registration details to confirm their vehicle’s presence and pay fines before reclaiming them.
Some by-laws governing parking in Bulawayo stipulate that vehicles left abandoned are given a 10-day notice for removal, after which they may be towed to a secure location at the owner’s expense.
The council also impounds cars with visible issues such as punctured tires, dirt, or expired registrations, and prohibits push carts within the central business district. Recovered vehicles are sometimes listed in the local newspaper, and if unclaimed within 30 days, they may be auctioned.
The enforcement has also affected local car park operators. Mr. Moxen Moyo, who runs a car park in Nketa 6, noted that some residents have been avoiding registered parking lots to save money by parking at nearby fuel stations, where security guards charge R10 per night compared to his registered car park’s fee of US$1.
“This morning, those who park their cars at the fuel station woke up to find the vehicles gone,” he said. “It’s unfair when vehicle owners opt to park near shops and fuel stations where they are charged minimal fees.”
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