Residents have called for reforms to Harare’s parking enforcement system after City Parking clamped a vehicle belonging to a mother who had stopped to administer emergency oxygen to her five-year-old son before taking him to hospital.

City Parking later apologised, admitted the incident had been mishandled and announced an investigation into staff conduct, a review of its clamping procedures and mandatory customer service training.

The incident has triggered wider criticism of what residents describe as an enforcement system that prioritises penalties and revenue collection over discretion and public service.

Zenzo Moyo said the incident reflected concerns shared by many motorists.

“It’s scary now to park your car in your city, in your country in Zimbabwe. There’s no parking lines in the city, even on some streets, but they are busy clamping cars. I think this law must be reviewed again. We can’t be scared to get into our city.”

Tawanda Kampira said City Parking officers needed better training.

“Please ensure that your staff receive proper training and understand that they are not above the law. They do not own the streets of Zimbabwe, and they should always treat members of the public with respect and professionalism,” he said.

“People’s safety and dignity should always come before money.”

Taibo Makume questioned whether the system had become too focused on revenue collection.

“In my view, the fundamental issue stems from City Park management. Their training appears to emphasise revenue maximisation rather than customer service,” he said.

“The metric of success seems to be the amount collected, not the quality of service delivered.”

Residents have called for measures including better training, official uniforms and body-worn cameras for parking enforcement officers.

Prstany Jowa said the family should be compensated and those responsible held accountable.

“A good gesture would be for the City of Harare to cover the bill in this instance,” he said.

He also called for body-worn cameras to improve transparency and protect both motorists and council employees.

Fortune Mahaye said authorities should consider replacing wheel clamping with parking tickets linked to vehicle registration.

“The council and parking authorities must move away from clamping vehicles and adopt a more modern enforcement system,” he said.

Courage Muza said technology could allow for more humane enforcement.

“Technology has made smarter, more humane enforcement possible. It is time for City Parking to evolve,” he said.

“Clamping a vehicle carrying a child on oxygen was not merely an act of enforcement; it demonstrated a troubling lack of discretion and compassion.”

Tariro Musiyiwa said the incident should serve as a warning to public institutions.

“Customer service is not about abandoning the law — it is about enforcing the law with professionalism, empathy, and respect for human dignity,” she said.

Learmore Nderema said parking officers needed training in customer care and the ability to assess individual circumstances.

“Motorists are their customers. They need to be able to judge every situation without bias. Some situations need some compromise,” he said.

Responding to the incident, the City of Harare apologised to the mother and said senior officials ordered the clamp removed after learning about the medical emergency.

Head of Corporate Communications Stanley Gama said the council’s policy was to assist motorists in emergencies before taking enforcement action.

“The City of Harare wishes to clarify that in all emergency situations, we assist the motorist first before clamping or issuing tickets,” Gama said.

He said investigations were underway and appropriate action would be taken.