Windhoek:The City of Windhoek (CoW) has reaffirmed its support for the KPI Parking Management system, labeling it a crucial component for improving security within the central business district (CBD).

According to NAMPA, city spokesperson Lydia Amutenya explained that the smart parking system enhances safety and vehicle turnover, outperforming the outdated coin meters and unregulated car guards. She highlighted that the old coin-operated system was costly to maintain due to part unavailability, and that vandalism and theft had negatively impacted revenue.

Amutenya emphasized that the unregulated nature of the previous system allowed for prolonged use of short-term parking bays, which restricted access for other motorists to CBD retailers. She addressed concerns that the new system could affect the livelihoods of informal car guards, clarifying that these individuals are not part of the official parking management services.

The spokesperson further noted that the new framework efficiently manages public space, ensuring parking availability for more drivers and protecting vulnerable workers from crime by eliminating cash handling at street level. This change was driven by safety concerns for parking marshals, including robbery and assault risks, and issues with cash handling accuracy.

To accommodate Windhoek's unbanked population, the City offers free KPI smart cards without transaction or usage fees. Amutenya highlighted that the contract with KPI transfers operational risks away from ratepayers, with KPI assuming full responsibility for the system's financing, operation, and maintenance.

In response to recent complaints about the system being offline, Amutenya assured the public that they would not be penalized for technical failures, emphasizing that motorists should not bear avoidable costs or unnecessary administrative burdens due to service provider issues.