HARARE, Zimbabwe -                                     Harare City Council’s privately-owned company, City Parking, in Zimbabwe,  is under fire from motorists for hiking parking fees by 150 percent and withdrawing its credit facility that allowed motorists to pay later if they exceeded parking time, Country’s own newspaper, The Herald, reported.

In a report monitored by CEOAfrica, the company reportedly placed the current parking fee for one hour at $5 and motorists are now required to pay $3 for $30 minutes while in the peripheral area of the town it is $3 per hour.

The report also revealed that City Parking public relations manager Mr Francis Mandaza was at pains to explain the withdrawal of the credit facility.

“Nothing has really changed in terms of the parking laws they stipulate that it is pre-paid parking meaning one has to pay before parking not the other way around.

“If motorists parking fees expire, they should just do like what people in cities like New York are doing to leave their businesses and come and top up for the extra time to avoid clamping,” he said.

Motorists fumed over the move, which they said was meant to exploit them.