I refer to the letter published in the North Eastern Tribune, week ending 11 December, Be kinder to the car guards.
This letter makes a very valid point. It is the responsibility of the mall’s management to pay the parking services and that poor unemployed guards should not be held responsible for this [using own income].
The point is that we, as shoppers, are entitled to secure shopping and parking at shopping malls, otherwise, we will not frequent the shopping malls. Hence the presence of car guards who protect our cars and assist us with loading our purchases into our cars.
However, although we understand that the shopping malls cannot pay the car guards for these services and that we, in fact, are paying them what is effectively a small stipend, it is absolutely absurd, unfair and immoral to expect the car guards to pay a hefty daily amount to the management for just being there and for providing a very necessary service.
At Balfour Park, the car guards have always had to pay a daily fee of R70 and at Norwood Mall the car guards pay a daily fee of R45.
A few days ago I was advised by a car guard at Balfour Park that they now have been instructed to pay a daily fee of R45 instead of R70 – a small triumph for our exposure of this alarming practice by management.
However, this amount is still high and the management of both malls should take on the responsibility of paying for the parking services and not expect the car guards to do so. Surely this is a no-brainer?
