Ground level Pikitup management, brilliant – Da Rocha
Considering the circumstances over the past few weeks, ground level Pikitup management is brilliant.
This was stated by Councillor Carlos Da Rocha, ward 66.
He said that over the past few weeks, rubbish was piling up on the streets and not being collected, due to the illegal strike by some Pikitup staff.
“I took note of the complaints from residents with regard to rubbish not being collected and streets not being swept. Some Pikitup staff went on an unexpected strike. However, looking at what went on over the past few weeks, I must reflect on the past. Remember a Pikitup strike about three years ago? It was chaotic,” he said.
He said this time around, although there was a strike, Pikitup team leaders were working seven days a week with skeleton staff. “They took dangerous risks to try and keep my ward looking a bit better than what it would have been if they had not done so.
“The area manager himself was busy sourcing a truck to remove the rubbish. Some street sweepers worked to maintain some level of service. I am grateful to them for the work they put in to keep me happy,” said Clr Da Rocha.
Clr Da Rocha believes the new bin law is creating problems in his ward. He said people are choosing to dump illegally because they are not prepared to pay for a bin that has been stolen or damaged.
Pikitup started implementing charges for the replacement of stolen and damaged bins from February.
It was stated that the decision came after 8 500 wheelie bins at the cost of about R3-million were replaced during the 2011/12 financial year by Pikitup.
A number of residents complained about this decision because the theft was no fault of their own and said it was Pikitup workers who were damaging their bins when emptying them. The result of Pikitup’s decision was more people putting rubbish bags out instead of bins and more people dumping illegally.
Pikitup later said that there would be some relief in the case of stolen bins and damage rendered to a bin by Pikitup staff.
Pikitup said it would use existing measures to ascertain whether the damage has been caused by its compactor lifters or not. The same principle would apply to stolen bins, to confirm the validity of any claim. If the claim proves true, a replacement bin will be issued to a resident free of charge.
Pikitup also said that the tariffs are lawful, as provided in Section 11(3)(i) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000 which ensures that any fees levied to residents are constitutional.
