Harare Mother Says Car Was Clamped During Child's Medical Emergency

By Southerton Business Times | Harare

A Harare mother has accused the City of Harare's parking enforcement team of clamping her vehicle while she was trying to rush her sick child to hospital, an incident that has sparked widespread public debate over the conduct of municipal parking attendants and the city's parking enforcement policies. Florence Maridzo Chikwenengwe alleges the incident occurred on 24 July 2026 after she parked her vehicle in central Harare and attempted to pay the US$1 parking fee using EcoCash because she did not have cash.

According to Chikwenengwe, her child required urgent medical attention and needed medication administered through a nebuliser. She claims she informed the parking attendant of the emergency but was unable to make the electronic payment before her vehicle was clamped. Journalist Hopewell Chin'ono, who published her account on X after speaking with her by telephone, said Chikwenengwe parked her vehicle at about 3:50 pm.

"The parking fee was US$1, but like most Zimbabweans, she did not have cash and asked to pay using EcoCash," Chin'ono wrote.

According to the account shared on social media, the parking attendant allegedly refused to accept the electronic payment.

"She explained to the parking attendant that she had a child in the car who urgently needed medication to be administered through a nebuliser. According to her, the parking attendant replied, 'That's none of my business,' and walked away."

Chikwenengwe said she was forced to pay US$35 to have the wheel clamp removed before driving her child to Parktown Hospital.

She further alleged that upon arrival, her child's condition had deteriorated and emergency treatment costing US$600 was required. According to Chin'ono, an anonymous Good Samaritan paid the full hospital bill after learning of the family's predicament. The allegations prompted a response from the City of Harare. Chin'ono said municipal officials later visited Chikwenengwe and offered to reimburse the US$35 clamp removal fee.

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume and City of Harare spokesperson Stan Gama also acknowledged the incident in a public statement, indicating that the matter would be investigated. However, Chin'ono argued that the controversy points to broader concerns about the city's parking enforcement system.

"Addressing this individual case by offering to pay the US$35 clamp fee without dealing with the broader culture of untrained and unprofessional Harare City Council parking attendants is simply not anywhere near enough," he said.

Residents have long complained about inconsistent parking enforcement, particularly in Harare's central business district, where motorists have raised concerns over payment systems, clamping procedures and customer service. As of 25 July 2026, the City of Harare had not publicly announced the outcome of any internal investigation into the incident or whether disciplinary action would be taken against the parking attendant involved. The case has reignited calls for the local authority to review its parking enforcement procedures, improve digital payment options and ensure staff are trained to respond appropriately to genuine medical emergencies.

Harare mother car clamped