How the parking system at Potchefstroom campus works

North-West University (NWU) students and staff who have parking discs often struggle to find parking during peak hours. This is caused by students without parking discs, often first-year students or students accessing campus for the first time, who are not aware of where they are allowed to park. These students then park in reserved areas where students and staff with discs should park.

Due to more lenient Covid-19 restrictions, the issue of parking space has arisen again.

Mr Giel Senekal, head of traffic and access control at the NWU Potchefstroom campus, said that many NWU students who are not aware that they can purchase parking discs park in spaces where they are not allowed to. This leads to congestion and a lack of parking space for those have paid for a parking disc.

Parking discs, according to Senekal, “are available for purchase at the F17 building” on the Potchefstroom campus, and all senior students and staff members qualify. The discs are instantly available after purchase. The discs cost R30 each and must be visible on the car’s windshield when parking in certain areas.

The discs all have a certain symbol indicating where students or staff members are allowed to park. For instance, senior students (third year and up) can park where an orange car symbol is indicated on the yellow information boards on campus, which can be found all over the Potchefstroom campus. First- and second-year students can park in the B, L and N Blocks. Residences on campus all have their own colour-coordinated parking areas close to the residences themselves.

Areas available only to staff are identified by the maroon car symbol on the yellow information boards.

Senekal said parking without a parking disc, or with a disc that does not allow parking in a certain area, will lead to the issuance of a parking ticket of R300. Any other traffic offence, like parking on a yellow line, will also lead to a R300 parking ticket.

Barrie Ferreira (22), an honours student in advanced corporate communication, said, “some days it is easier [to find parking] than others, and it was easier while Covid-19 restrictions were still being implemented, ensuring fewer people were parking on campus.”

Ferreira said he does have a parking disc but received a parking ticket this year after parking on a yellow line.

Hanno Visagie (21), an honours student in computer science and information systems, also said, “there are some first years who takes chances and park where they are not supposed to.” – Anchen Coetzee and Chanté du Plessis