I live in an apartment block in Cape Town, Roeland Street. I'm not sure if I am allowed to say the name but it starts with a 'P' and rhymes with Bersbectives.
I been living there for just over a month now and have had to endure some seriously questionable behavior from security guards. Don't get me wrong, most of the people that work there are delightful and just doing their job. But then you have the few who seem to have been programmed according to some draconian communist code.
Just this morning as I was planning to head back to work after the long weekend and found my car had been clamped. I had parked in a spot between my parking spot, and my flat mates as we had an extra car for the evening and didn't want to leave it outside, as we have both experienced many break ins and it didn't seem worth it. We were obstructing NOBODY in the complex, we had not blocked access to any fire hydrant, or any access points or any walk ways or anything. Nothing. Nothing was obstructed in any way. We were not parked in front of a do not park sign, or even a no smoking sign. You get my point? I was parked between myself and my flatmate. Like this [Flat Mate] Me Parked [Our Other Car].
Its difficult to stress how little of an inconvenience this was for everyone, in fact by doing this I had freed up a space outside the complex for someone without parking. So negative inconvenience. But I am deviating from the point.
After discovering that I had been clamped, I asked if they could please unclamp me so I could go and draw the money to pay them. This seemed like a reasonable offer. But no... Judge Dredd behind the counter decided 'The Law' was 'The Law' and I was not to be unclamped till paying the fine. So I proceeded to walk to the nearest ATM drew the money and handed over the R500 all while trying my best not to jump over the counter and tear someones face off.
I know this is not the fault of the security (except for maybe the guard who didn't have the hindsight to realize that this was a resident parking an extra car, and not maybe the ghost of Verwoerd taking his revenge on the new South Africa by parking small red mini's inconveniently in underground parking bays).
For the record this is the second time I am paying one of these ridiculous R500 clamping fines. The first time is another story for another time. But I have a question for the Body Corporate, do you know we are your customers? Do you realize the reputation your building earns when you behave like this? Well I was warned by many friends before I moved in, and it seems you have lived up to your reputation.
Continue to treat your tenants like dirt and they will continue to advertise your mediocre building like the over priced, outdated establishment it is. It is no wonder your building still receives sub standard rental in such a prime spot, and in a market environment teeming with demand.
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