The Stellenbosch Council has approved the lowering of parking tariffs for on- and off-street public parking in the Stellenbosch Central Business District. Parking tariffs will be reduced by 20% from Monday, 21 September 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, residents and businesses have faced severe economic hardship. That is why, in an effort to aid and support speedy economic recovery, the Executive Mayor and the Council considered it prudent to lower parking tariffs in the CBD area.
Even though parking tariffs were not increased for the current financial year, it was felt that as a caring local government even more must be done to assist residents and businesses. Due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national lockdown, many of our local businesses suffered severe economic losses and council thus proposed that the parking tariff should be reduced to increase local business activities and encourage economic growth.
The proposed lowered tariffs were made available for public inputs and comments. Following the public participation process, largely positive comments and feedback were received. The reduction in fees was then officially approved by Council on 11 September 2020 and the reduced tariffs will come into effect from Monday, 21 September 2020.
It is impossible to provide a free public parking service because funds are needed to maintain an efficient parking system and parking facilities. Many businesses approached the municipality to request that the paid parking service resumes after the initial levels of the “hard lockdown” as the system leads to a much higher turnover of available parking spaces close to their businesses. Without any form of payment, parking spaces are often occupied for hours on end (even the whole day) and clients, customers and diners struggle to find parking close to businesses, restaurants, etc.
