Centre News Reporter

Masvingo City Council (MCC) has allegedly concluded a dodgy deal to engross a Harare based company, City Parking, to run its parking department in a move that has attracted ire from residents saying the local authority is set to lose revenue to the firm.

Inside sources at the Town House hinted that the deal will see council losing 70 percent of revenue it is currently getting from monthly parking fees.

MCC currently collects over ZWL$1million monthly and has shockingly agreed to a deal which will see City Parking submit 30% of revenue it collects from motorists.

 This means City parking will now be amassing 70 percent of the total revenue per month for rendering its services.

Residents who spoke to Centre News expressed alarm over the deal saying it was dirty and leaves a lot to be desired.

“This is deal is certainly stinking how can they hire a firm to take away the revenue that was going straight into their coffers and improve service delivery. There is more to it that what meets the eye,’’ said Tapuwa Madhonza, a Mucheke D resident.

Insiders say the deal has since been approved by some council officials who are suspected of receiving golden handshakes from the firm.

Masvingo United Residents and Rate Payers Alliance (MURRA) fumed over the allegations saying it smacks of corruption.

MURRA Programmes Manager, Rumbidzai Magurupira said the deal is set to bleed council which has been battling financial woes.

“If this is true, it’s completely unacceptable how they can agree to such a dubious deal which clearly smells of corruption, we are going make our own investigations to verify the truthfulness of the allegations that will inform our next course of action,” said Magurupira.

Masvingo Mayor, Collen Maboke dismissed the allegations that the deal has already been concluded saying they were still in negotiations with City Parking.

“It’s not true that we have concluded the deal but we are still engaging the firm, right now we are in the process of carrying out a feasibility study to see if its worthy surrendering the department to City park,” said Maboke.

However, close sources maintain that it is already a done deal as the feasibility study was fast tracked last week as a mere formality.

City Parking marshals from Harare were visible in the CBD streets last week to carrying out a joint baseline survey with Masvingo marshals.

Many have rose to question the sanity of hiring an outside firm to lead revenue collection which used to entirely belong the council.

City Parking has also taken over parking in Harare and Gweru amid uproar from residents in the two cities.