Residents of South Africa’s economic hub wade through weeks of uncollected rubbish

While Pikitup and the City of Johannesburg said that refuse collection services would be steadily resuming in Randburg following a work stoppage, depots remain barricaded, and services remain stalled for many after two weeks. 

The work stoppage began on 15 January, as protesting employees went on strike to demand permanent contracts, which they said were promised to them in 2023. 

According to the city, officials and Pikitup are working 24/7 to manage the situation, and the matter is under review, but cannot be resolved outside of lawful governance processes. 

On Sunday, 25 January, the city announced that Randburg refuse collection services are expected to progressively stabilise throughout this week, barring further disruptions. 

“Daily monitoring is in place until services are fully restored,” the city said, along with “progress reports are being submitted to executive management and fleet and resources are being optimised to maximise collections.”

Workers briefly returned to duty for two days last week, but then resumed the strike as leadership has failed to meet their demands.

After numerous assurances, MMC of the Environment and Infrastructure Service Department, Jack Sekwaila, said that normal operations will resume from today, 28 January, following a meeting held between Pikitup and workers on 27 January.

Sekwaila said that the 27 January meeting concluded with an agreement to resume normal operations, while addressing recruitment challenges.

However, despite this, as of the morning of 28 January, the Randburg depot remained barricaded, and overflowing municipal rubbish bins continued to line the streets of Randburg. 

DA spokesperson on Pikitup, Tyrell Mayers, said that rubbish is piling up in the streets has “left Johannesburg, the so-called ‘world-class city’, engulfed in filth.”

“Desperate residents are increasingly forced to resort to illegal dumping, further worsening environmental and public health risks across the city,” he said.

Pikitup depot remains barricaded by frustrated workers

The Chief Operating Officer of Pikitup, Meyrisk Ramatlo, told DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille that he was committed to speaking to workers on Friday, 23 January, regarding their applications for permanent jobs. 

Workers cleared the road to the depot and deconstructed the barricade, agreeing they would return to work following the statement from the COO.

However, after waiting from 06:30 am to 9 pm, the workers allegedly had received no news.

“They say to me that is the reason why their frustration boils over into the kind of action that we’ve seen. They are treated with disrespect, one promise after another has been broken,” said Zille. 

She added that workers say permanent jobs are given based on nepotism and not on experience or merit. 

In an interview with SABC, the COO said that no one has reported cases of nepotism, which the workers are encouraged to do.

“We are awaiting a full report, but we encourage employees to report any suspicions of nepotism or irregular processes.”

Some workers said that they had been waiting for permanent contracts for as long as six years. 

Making matters worse, Meyers said the issue is compounded by the closure of two landfill sites. “Half or more of Johannesburg’s landfill sites are already full or permanently closed,” he said.

Beverley Jacobs, Ward 98 councillor in Randburg, visited the Pikitup depot on 28 January and said that “nothing has changed.”

“I have spoken to some of the executives; there is no operational plan in place.”

Sekwaila said it was “unfortunate” that a political element entered the conflict.

“We have observed an instance where a political party claimed to assist the casual workers, fully aware that they cannot resolve the underlying issue between Pikitup and the casual workers,” he said.

“It is inappropriate for politicians to exploit the issues faced by our people for political gain.”

Residents told to expect more delays

Jacobs said that executives announced they have instituted legal action against the workers, and security has been deployed to monitor the situation.

However, an operational catch-up plan has not yet been confirmed and will only be communicated once the relevant court rulings and interdicts are in place.

She communicated to residents that they should expect continued delays in refuse collection until full operations resume. There is no time frame for when this will be.

Sekwaila said that Pikitup is returning to normal operations and implementing a catch-up plan to clear the waste backlog in affected areas, and said residents will be updated on this progress. No specific timeline was given.

“I think the biggest issue here is the executive. The political leadership in our country cannot be transparent, can’t come to residents and say ‘we’ve messed up and this is the way forward’,” Jacobs said. 

“So we are sitting with heaps and heaps of rubbish at the depot and heaps and heaps of rubbish in our community.”

Meyers said there has been no communication from the leading ANC-EFF-PA coalition, despite the severity of the disaster, and no meaningful communication from Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero.

“Johannesburg residents should not be forced to live amid refuse, disease and environmental hazards because of an administrative failure,” said Meyers.