UPDATE: What is the deal with pay parking?

KwaDukuza municipality is still determined to introduce pay parking to Ballito and surrounds, while Stanger residents are complaining that the system in operation in the town is unfair.

More than seven months after the pay parking system was announced for KwaDukuza, little has been done to finalise the procedure.

The system that came into effect on November 1 imposed an R6 an hour fee for public parking bays in Ballito, Stanger, Umhlali and Shakaskraal.

However there was a huge public outcry from residents and business owners, forcing KDM and service provider Vusa Isipho Trading back to the drawing board. Shakaskraal and Umhlali have since been exempt from the scheme.

The municipality hastily set up a task team of 12 community and business representatives to finalise how the scheme ought to work, meanwhile parking marshalls continued to collect money from residents and holidaymakers throughout December.

It then came to an abrupt halt in Ballito in January.

Currently only operating in Stanger CBD, many residents are complaining that the system is unfair.

Glenhill’s Civic Association chairperson and Stanger resident Rishi Pooran, who was behind a planned protest through Stanger, said KDM was ‘targeting’ Stanger residents.

“People can hardly afford a loaf of bread, the petrol prices are gone up, tax has increased and now we must pay to park on roads that are not properly maintained by KDM?

“Nothing has come out of our task team meetings although the system was supposed to be re-thought out. Marshalls are still operating in Stanger where our residents are not as well off as other other areas.”

Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association (DOCCRA) chairperson Ken Lever, who is also part of the task team said there have only been two meetings with no communication on the system since January.

“All we know is that pay parking was put on hold in the southern part of KwaDukuza, being the Ballito area.”

KDM media liaison Sipho Mkhize said engagements were underway to finalise how pay parking would be carried out in Ballito.

He did not confirm when the system would make a return but said payments were being collected at some beaches.

“Among some of the recommendations made by the task team to the council was that an agreement is reached with the UIP to offer this service in the areas it currently oversees. Engagements to reach an amicable agreement for the latter are ongoing.”

He said the renegotiations on tariffs, consideration of exempt parking bays and the time allocation to be paid for, has led to the delay in the rollout of the system in some areas.

“Effecting these changes has meant that we re-look at the service level agreement entered into with the service provider in order to continue rolling out the system in a self-sustainable manner while addressing the desires of the residents of the municipality.”

“In the interim, we have been making presentations at IDP roadshows that concluded in April to solicit views of the public on the matter, and are happy to report that it was not met with hostility.

We shall provide clear communication on the developments leading to the system rollout in the southern cluster.”

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