Residents have been warned to steer clear of the municipality, where striking employees have embarked on a reign of terror since the strike announcement on Monday.

Employees began the unprotected strike around noon.

The strike originated from the solid waste department, where drivers are refusing to utilise compactor trucks available to them.

Currently, the municipality is using its own, previous garbage removal fleet, with only six vehicles available.

Two of the vehicles are stationed in Hendrina, leaving only four for Middelburg.

The municipality is currently awaiting the delivery of a new fleet, with the authority saying the vehicles are still being manufactured.

The civic centre is on lockdown again today after striking employees ordered everyone out of municipal buildings, including the town planning department in SADC Street.

Municipal services have been suspended as a result of the ongoing intimidation.

The issue reached a boiling point when the municipality suspended refuse removal from 18:30 daily.

Employees are also only allowed to clock two hours of overtime per day.

The measures were implemented after residents revolted against late-night garbage collections. A few garbage collectors were also injured due to the late-night collections.

In Gholfsig, residents regularly had to venture into the streets past midnight to retrieve their wheelie bins from outside, or risk having them stolen or damaged.

In certain areas, garbage hasn’t been collected for three weeks, and counting.

There are 14 collection teams now having to work with four vehicles. Two vehicles were leased but returned after drivers flatly refused to use them.

Residents are urged to stay away from the civic centre while the strike gains further momentum.