A “wine-lovers’ paradise”, a “quaint getaway” — the Western Cape town of Franschhoek is increasingly being defined by its utility.
However, what becomes of a “quaint getaway” when the governing municipality turns its attention from the locals toward the profitable tourists?
Stellenbosch, just a 30-minute drive from Franschhoek, has had parking meters in its CBD streets for some years now, where the hourly rate is R10.
Studies show that footfall may drop in retail areas where metered parking is introduced; however, these price-sensitive would-be customers do not constitute the majority, and this phenomenon usually corrects itself after a few weeks.
The glaring concern for many is that if parking spots are not paid for, cars will occupy the spaces for hours, perhaps days on end. This was the case in Franschhoek — before the new system of paid parking was introduced, the main street was often lined with cars from dusk till dawn.
But is this a bad thing? It stands in marked contrast to the harsh new reality, and some of the locals have expressed outrage at the development.
Paid parking is a small step in the direction of tourism gentrification — tailoring the experience to the much-desired euro or dollar and neglecting the rand. Increasingly, we are seeing the commodification of our town and a gradual nudge in public spaces from residential to commercial.
Economic strain is forcing many people to find cheaper living out of town, or to relocate altogether.
While a municipal-run parking scheme would provide significant revenue for the town, the astonishing fact is that the paid parking system in Franschhoek is outsourced to a private operator. The operator collects the parking fees and gives the municipality a portion of that money. This has been standard practice in Stellenbosch and other municipalities for several years.
This should be met with great public dissatisfaction, as the money we pay for parking is not being used to improve the town we live in; rather, it is going to private entities, who are lining their pockets at the locals’ expense.
Furthermore, according to municipal budget documents, the scant revenue realised from paid parking in Franschhoek is put into the Stellenbosch municipal operating account. This means that, unless there is a specific levy agreement with the district (Franschhoek), the money will be pooled across all the towns in the Stellenbosch municipal boundary, which include Paarl, Pniel and Stellenbosch.
Desperate profit-seeking
The problem of paid parking is a symptom of a larger malaise: the character of our neighbourhoods, the languages spoken in the streets and our local heritage are slowly being engulfed by the tide of commercialisation. This causes desperate profit-seeking on the part of local business owners (whose numbers are dwindling) and the municipality itself, which has turned our streets into a business without consultation.
Four months ago, a petition was launched that called for an end to paid parking in Franschhoek. It now bears more than 1,600 signatures.
If we are to live in a “tourist hotspot”, then we must confront what that means for the locals — and the locals of Franschhoek aren’t happy.
Paid parking deters anyone arriving by car. It is a tremendous inconvenience, and students suffer most.
In Stellenbosch, if one is not on campus before 8.30am, one must seek parking as far as 2km away to avoid fees upwards of R40. Coupled with the fact that many free parking spaces are situated in out-of-the-way streets — in crime-ridden areas where cars have their windows broken daily — the paid parking scheme puts many students at risk.
Closer to home, the paid parking in Franschhoek discourages locals and visitors alike. When a municipality institutes rules that come at the expense of the locals, it loses sight of its most fundamental constitutional function.
Paid parking is the first crack in the dam. Luckily, cracks can be mended. With enough public support, Franschhoek can retain its character and still be a tourist hotspot. DM