No Parking Marshals Being Fired: City of Harare Clarifies On New Self-Service Parking Zones

Harare has been set abuzz by the announcement of new self-service parking zones, leading to widespread speculation about job losses for the city’s familiar parking marshals. The City of Harare has now moved swiftly to clarify the situation, stating categorically that no one is losing their job.

This direct assurance comes from an official public notice released by City Parking management. The clarification comes amid mixed public feelings towards the marshals, a group often criticised by motorists for their methods.

The clarification seeks to address concerns that arose following the initial revelation that certain streets would transition to a fully digital, marshal-free system starting 1 December 2025.

Only Two Streets Are Fully Unmanned

According to the official notice from City Parking management, the shift to a completely unmanned, self-service model is highly specific. It applies only to two defined sections in the city centre. The streets affected are Third Street, between Jason Moyo Avenue and Robert Mugabe Road, and Park Street, between Jason Moyo Avenue and Samora Machel Avenue.

The notice from management explicitly detailed the scope of the change:

“Third Street (Between Jason Moyo and Robert Mugabe) and Park Street (Between Jason Moyo and Samora Machel) are the only streets with 100% self-service and shall not be manned by parking marshals.”

This confirms that, from the launch date onward, the familiar yellow-vested attendants will not be present on these two stretches. The city has positioned this as a pilot for a modernised system.

Parking Marshal Jobs Are Safe, Says City

Directly countering rumours of widespread redundancies, the City Parking notice provided unambiguous reassurance. The statement made the continued employment of marshals across the city’s parking infrastructure explicitly clear. This news may disappoint some drivers who have expressed frustration with interactions with marshals, citing issues with change availability, alleged dishonesty and perceived aggressiveness.

The management notice stated definitively:

“Parking Marshals shall continue to be deployed in all other streets hence no one is losing their job.”

This means that while the two pilot streets will operate without human marshals, attendants will continue their duties on every other street where parking is managed. The notice further stated that the self-service digital payment option is also available as an option in these manned areas, offering an alternative to cash payments.

How The New Digital Payment System Works

For motorists using the new self-service zones on Third and Park Street, payment will be mandatory through designated digital channels. The traditional method of paying cash directly to a marshal will not be available on these specific sections.

The official notice instructed the public on the available payment methods:

“For payment of parking fees using self-service: Dial *192#, WhatsApp Chatbot 0719515601, Download Park Assist Mobile App.”

The introduction of a purely digital system on these pilot streets is seen by some as a direct response to long-standing motorist complaints about the cash-based, marshal-manned system. The City of Harare has indicated that this digital initiative is part of a broader strategy to integrate modern technology into municipal services. The success of this pilot project on two streets will inform future decisions.

• 13-Year-Old Boy Kills Friend In Stoneridge Park After Argument Over Snacks