A business owner in the Pretoria CBD has expressed dismay at the Tshwane metro police department’s lack of ability to tackle illegally parked cars.
Motorists and business owners were left fuming as they tried to report illegally parked vehicles without success.
Business owner Rashid Yousef said he called the Tshwane metro police on Tuesday to report illegally parked vehicles blocking an entrance to businesses.
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He said the response from the metro police department was that “all the breakdown vehicles are broken”.
“Can you believe they do not have any tow trucks currently,” he said.
Yousef said delivery trucks had been allocated designated spots to offload or load goods to businesses, however, he said they were forced to park on the road, causing danger and headaches to other motorists.
He said trucks were forced to park on sidewalks, obstructing pedestrians due to cars illegally parked on loading zones.
“Loading vehicles must often block the streets because cars are illegally parked in designated loading zones.”
@TMPDSafety Vehicle blocking entry in Bureau Lane since 6am this morning.Been calling for a tow truck since https://t.co/SFoeozfDkj response from TMPD.
— RASHID YOUSUF (@RASHIDYOUSUF6) February 19, 2019
Tshwane metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said that the department currently did not have breakdown vehicles available.
“We don’t have breakdowns available as some are in for repairs.”
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Mahamba said to give the best possible service, their vehicles had to be in good condition.
“Vehicles at some stage have to be serviced and ours are not exceptional.”
Mahamba said metro police members would be deployed to the inner city to issue fines to offenders who obstructed or parked at entrances or in the roadway, while waiting for the breakdown vehicles to be maintained.
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