Car Guards, Metro Cops and the impossible challenge of finding parking

Adelle Jansen

Do you get anxious about going to new places without knowing the parking situation? If so, then this article was written for you as it will inform students on all the details they should know about the parking situation at the university. It is important for students to plan ahead of time and to familiarise themselves with the parking lots around campus. The University of Pretoria has a massive student body, which chiefly consists of undergraduate students. According to the latest information on the student portal under the section for parking disc applications, there is “no parking available on Hatfield campus for undergraduate students”.

There are a few allocated parking lots around campus, which do not meet the high demand of students. This has resulted in various students having to park a great distance from the main campus. As reported by students from last year, the main off-campus parking issues remain the self-employed car guards and the daily tickets fined by the metro police.

In order for students to avoid receiving fines from the metro police, they should ensure that their licence disc is up to date and avoid breaking traffic laws. To elaborate, many students park alongside Lynnwood Road where some may receive daily parking tickets for “parking on a paved portion of the sidewalk”. Students can prevent receiving a ticket by parallel parking to avoid the paved portion of the sidewalk, instead of parking perpendicularly as advised by the car guards to optimise space.

There have been numerous complaints about the car guards surrounding UP saying they have been demanding high fares and intimidating students. A general survey from last year revealed that the car guards off campus are selfemployed and rely solely on tips donated by students to make a living. Car guards struggle to survive financially, but the same goes for students. It is an unrealistic expectation for students to give car guards tips daily, as it will put more strain on their finances.

Car guards are a form of unarmed security officers. The Private Security Act of 2001 states that “any person who renders the security service of protecting property or a person for a reward must be registered with the PSIRA”. The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) further highlights that anyone who is not registered with the PSIRA is conducting