Bulawayo residents and officials are outraged over the controversial parking management contract between the City of Bulawayo and Tendy Tree Investments (TTI).
TTI, a private company, has secured a deal that entitles it to 70 percent of the parking revenues in the city, leaving the council with a mere 30 percent.
The deal, already widely criticized, has been further inflamed by a display of affluence from TTI chairman Lizwe Mabuza, who arrived at City Hall in a $400,000 Rolls Royce Cullinan with a personalized UK license plate, intensifying public outcry.
The contract, awarded in 2020 but only implemented in 2022, allows TTI to collect parking fees throughout Bulawayo’s central business district (CBD) for six years, with an option to extend for another four.
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Under this agreement, TTI retains 70 percent of the revenue from parking, clamping, and storage fees, leaving the council with just 30 percent.
Given that public infrastructure is generally funded by city revenues, many residents see the agreement as exploitative, benefiting TTI disproportionately at the expense of taxpayers and city resources.
The parking fees set by TTI were initially priced at $1 per 30 minutes, triggering backlash from residents. After considerable pressure, the charge was modified to $1 per hour, which is still viewed by many as high in a city grappling with economic challenges.
For many, the fact that a private company is permitted to rake in such a significant portion of public revenue is particularly infuriating.
The financial imbalance of the contract has led to an outpouring of frustration among Bulawayo residents, who have been calling for the council to cancel or renegotiate the deal.
The City of Bulawayo recently disclosed that between January 1 and May 31, 2024, TTI remitted approximately $1.5 million as the council’s 30 percent share of collected parking fees.
On November 7, 2024, Lizwe Mabuza’s Rolls Royce Cullinan Black Badge was spotted illegally parked in a restricted zone outside Bulawayo’s City Hall.
This implies that TTI’s earnings exceeded $3 million over just five months, with their share more than twice that of the council’s.
Critics argue that this arrangement unfairly drains money from the city, limiting the resources available for essential services and infrastructure maintenance. One councillor, speaking anonymously, highlighted the community’s displeasure, stating: “We, as councillors, are barely managing to keep residents’ anger in check.
TTI is the most unpopular company in the city, and seeing Mabuza flaunt his wealth at City Hall is pouring salt on an open wound.”
Within the city council itself, murmurs about TTI’s influence are growing. Some officials claim that TTI has “deeply embedded itself” in City Hall, with suggestions that certain senior council figures may be advocating for the company.
Although no formal accusations have been made, there is a strong perception that TTI wields undue influence, complicating any potential move to cancel or renegotiate the contract.
TTI’s staff have also drawn complaints from residents who allege that company employees have harassed senior citizens and aggressively clamped vehicles to meet quotas.
These tactics, coupled with the already high fees, have fostered a general distrust of the company and raised questions about whether their primary motive is to improve public parking services or simply to maximize profit.
Bulawayo mayor David Coltart, who campaigned on a platform that included scrutinizing the TTI contract, has yet to take definitive action, leading to growing disappointment among residents.
Coltart’s initial statements about re-examining the contract raised hopes, but his recent reticence has led some to question whether the council has the political will or the leverage necessary to stand up to TTI.
As pressure mounts, calls for an audit of the TTI contract have intensified, with residents demanding transparency on how the initial deal was reached and whether it was ever in the city’s best interest.
Many are urging Coltart and the city council to re-evaluate the contract, either to increase the council’s share of revenue or to terminate the agreement altogether.
