Let’s not forget:
One dead.
Middelburg turns into a garbage dump.
Members of the public assaulted.
Infrastructure sabotaged.
Car tyres slashed.

The Middelburg Observer reported in 2022:

“Striking municipal employees are keeping members of the public hostage inside the municipal grounds where at least two members of the public were earlier assaulted, and a number of vehicles damaged, while public order police members are merely looking on.”
“Municipal strikers empty water tanks meant for schools sport provincial playoffs.”
“Main instigator of ongoing municipal strikes served with notice of suspension.”
“Police arrest defiant municipal strikers ‘camping out’ at the civic centre.”
“Municipal strike – the proof is in the sewerage and the rubbish dumps.”
The workers behind the strike were from solid waste.

Now it’s like that again

History repeats itself.
For the past two days, staff have been chased out of the civic centre.
In other words, intimidated.
Since yesterday, workers have been sitting and doing nothing at the magasyn in Protea Street.
Rubbish is not being removed.

Piles of garbage

The town centre is already showing signs of the strike.
There are piles of garbage everywhere.
People are simply unloading their black bags along the sidewalks.

This morning, councillor Johann Dyason informed his ward that a meeting will be held again at 10:00 to end the unprotected strike.
The problem is, like last time, unjust demands from solid waste.
What the strike is about now is difficult to understand.
When they don’t get their way, the community and municipal management are held hostage.

Privatise the service!

Middelburg cannot continue like this.
Residents are sick and tired of hearing they have to put out their wheelie bins and, an hour later, take them back in.

Already paying for the service

Private companies are now being paid to remove the black bags while residents are already paying for the service.
You can’t pay for something you don’t get a service for.

It’s a shame that the rest of the staff who want to work are being exposed to intimidation like this.
It’s also time for Municipal Manager Mandla Mnguni to keep residents informed about what’s going on.
Streets are lined with green wheelie bins as residents remain hopeful that refuse collection will resume.