Fourways forks out money for private refuse collection due to protest

Residents in Fourways found themselves having to come up with alternative methods for disposing of their trash after being impacted by the city’s official waste management service provider, Pikitup casual workers’s strike.

Garbage bins and bags had been left outside many households for days, and with Pikitup no longer operating, residents had to seek out other ways to manage their waste even though they came with a price tag.

“We ended up calling an outside company to come and collect the bins because we did not have any other choice. They were starting to smell and we had other trash, so we had to dig into our pockets to keep clean. We also do not know when the strike will end, so it was a good option for us. The company charges R80 per bin, and I had four bins that needed to be emptied,” said Charmaine More from Lonehill.

Read more: We are all partners in cleaning up our environment says Pikitup

Ward 94 councillor David Foley said residents in his ward are unhappy as refuse collection its a paid-for service from the city. It is not cheap and it is not being delivered. He said they are now requesting refunds from Pikitup from their monthly rates in regards to this.

“Refuse bins lying around will start attracting flies, maggots and of course rats. I don’t understand why Pikitup has been held to ransom by the contractors. The service needs to be delivered. I will ask people to take their bins in now as there is no progress today.”

The entity’s representative, Muzi Mkhwanazi, urged residents who have the means to dispose of their waste at its integrated waste management facilities to please consider doing so.

He said about 10 depots were affected by the strike on May 20, and only two were operational.

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“It is a wildcat strike since no formal notification was sent to Pikitup management notifying it of the impending action. Law enforcement agencies, including the JMPD, Public Order Policing, and private security companies, are working to defuse the situation at the 10 depots affected by the strike.

He added that senior management of the entity have been deployed to the affected depots to engage with the workers and stressed that a principle of ‘no work, no pay’ will be enforced.

“The owners of ad hoc fleets, used to assist the company with waste collection, will be requested to provide compactor trucks and personnel to help clean the city and clear the waste backlog caused by the strike.

“Pikitup management condemns the actions of the protesters and appeals to them to refrain from violent and threatening conduct, which prevents employees from fulfilling their responsibilities to the residents of the city who have a constitutional right to a clean environment.”

Related article: Pikitups guide to reporting waste