City Parking to Review ANPR After Ticketing Outcry

City Parking is reviewing its ANPR enforcement in Harare after complaints of motorists being fined while briefly stopped in traffic (image source)

City Parking has launched an internal review of its Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system after a surge of public complaints that motorists are being issued electronic parking fines within seconds of stopping — sometimes while halted at traffic lights or obstructed by other vehicles. The company acknowledged growing criticism on social media and said investigations and verifications are under way to determine whether the camera system is wrongly classifying briefly stationary vehicles as illegally parked.

City Parking’s camera-equipped patrol vehicles use ANPR to read licence plates and automatically issue electronic parking notices across Harare’s central business district. At the centre of complaints is that the system can register a vehicle as “parked” while momentarily stationary in traffic or blocked by another vehicle, issuing fines before drivers have had a chance to legally park. In a statement, the company urged motorists with grievances to lodge formal complaints so each case can be investigated and clarified. City Parking currently operates on-street marshals, parkades and digital payment platforms that complement the ANPR roll-out, meaning enforcement relies on a mix of human and automated processes.

Multiple motorists have described receiving violation notices hours after the alleged offence with limited detail on location or timing. One anonymous driver said they were fined at a traffic light and later informed the violation was recorded two minutes earlier. Another, Tariro Muzah, complained about a lack of information on where the offence occurred. Adele Matenga reported being fined while blocked by another car near Eastgate on Robert Mugabe Avenue. These accounts have amplified calls for clearer evidence-sharing and faster complaint resolution.

Transport technologists and legal analysts highlight two typical failure modes for ANPR systems: false positives when stationary vehicles in traffic are misclassified as parked, and mismatches between camera timestamps and the legal definition of “parking” in by-laws. Experts recommend audit trails that pair plate reads with geotagged images and timestamps retained for independent review to reduce erroneous enforcement and provide transparent evidence for appeals.

City Parking’s deployment of ANPR is part of a broader modernisation of parking management intended to reduce manual error and increase compliance. The technology reads licence plates in real time and links to payment and enforcement back-ends. Critics argue that technological enhancements must be matched with procedural safeguards and transparent appeals processes to maintain public trust.

“Investigations and verifications are under way to ascertain that the system remains efficient and effective.” — City Parking statement.

City Parking’s review will determine whether technical adjustments, operational retraining, or policy changes are needed to prevent erroneous ticketing. Motorists and civic groups are watching closely for disclosures on system performance metrics, changes to enforcement rules at intersections, and redress timelines. Key concerns include how long evidence will be retained for appellants and whether independent audits will be commissioned.