News Update – Mangaung rolls out parking marshal system
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Click here to download the PDF for News Update 26 July 2013
The Executive Mayor of Mangaung Metro, Clr Thabo Manyoni, officially launched the city’s new Parking Marshal System (PMS) at Hoffman Square on Wednesday, 24 July, bringing an end to the old parking meters and informal car guards. The Executive Mayor said through the new system, 56 parking marshals have been employed for the first phase of the project, and another 54 will come in during the second phase. He added that the system will also be rolled out in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu. Addressing MMM officials, representatives of various organisations, businesses and the public, the EM said: “The parking system seeks to address short and long term parking in the Central Business District of Mangaung Metro Municipality. In this regard the first roll out plan prioritises the Charlotte Maxeke Street and St. Andrew Street. We will introduce the parking marshal system to other streets on a monthly basis.” Through the new system, motorists will be expected to pay the marshals a set amount, depending on the time they will be parking for. The marshals, who went through vigorous training, will use specialised gadgets to record motorists’ information and will be identifiable by their unique vests.
The EM further explained that PMS will assist the city and citizens in the following ways:
- Reduction of crime and theft from parked vehicles;
- Elimination of ‘informal parking attendants’ and the associated harassment of motorists;
- Damage of curbs by trucks will be minimized;
- Free flow of traffic;
- No double parking;
- Basic salary for the parking marshals.
On a lighter note, the EM said the parking marshals will also assist motorists with parking – an unpleasant experience for some, he said. Without wanting to limit motorists’ access to the CBD, the new system will ensure that parking within the area is not occupied for a longer period unnecessarily. The more access people have to parking, the more money will be poured into businesses around the area. Over and above, “it is about bringing law and order to our streets,” the EM said. Following a demonstration by the marshals on how the gadgets work, the Deputy Executive Mayor, joined by Members of the Mayoral Committee unveiled the new fixed cameras at Corner Lubbe and Church Street, which will also help bring law and order to the city’s roads. More cameras will be erected across Mangaung.
Daily Tariffs
0-30 minutes = R3.50
31-60 minutes = R7.00
61-120 minutes = R14.00
Method of operation
The parking marshal will follow set procedure when offering parking marshal services to motorists which is set out below: Parking marshall:
- informs the motorist of the maximum allowable parking period
- asks the motorist to estimate the parking period
- informs the motorist of the tariff amount for the estimated parking time period
- requests the motorist to pay this amount by means of cash
- must issue a parking receipt which will reflect:
- Unique receipt number
- Date
- Parking Marshal number
- Time in
- Time out
- Amount paid