Have your bins not been collected? Here’s when Pikitup says it will be in your area

Residents in several areas of Johannesburg have not had their refuse collected on time this week, with Pikitup confirming that ongoing protests by casual workers have disrupted operations at a number of its depots.

On Thursday, Pikitup said it “continues to experience service delivery disruptions at selected depots due to ongoing protest action by casual workers who are demanding permanent employment from the entity”.

The utility was quick to stress that the disruption is not company-wide. “Currently, only five of the entity’s 12 depots are experiencing operational disruptions,” Pikitup said.

Of those five, Avalon has been hit hardest, with workers blocking staff from leaving the depot altogether.

“The Avalon Depot remains the most severely affected, with casual workers blocking the depot entrance and preventing permanent employees from leaving the premises to conduct waste collection services,” the waste collection utility stated.

Some depots back to normal, others still constrained

Not every affected depot remains in crisis.

Pikitup said the Randburg depot saw its blockade lifted after residents from Zandspruit joined casual workers in preventing staff from leaving earlier in the week, and that “the blockade has since been lifted and waste collection services have resumed”.

Despite this, the depot’s own recovery schedule shows every Monday and Tuesday route still marked outstanding, with the recovery date simply listed as “to be confirmed”.

Some residents in nearby areas have complained that their refuse hasn’t been collected in weeks.

At Marlboro, the picture is similarly mixed.

Pikitup reported that the blockade there has also been lifted, though normal service hasn’t fully returned, saying “waste collection services remain constrained as casual workers have refused to return to work until their demands are addressed”.

Waterval, by contrast, appears to be on the recovery, with the entity confirming that “both permanent employees and casual workers have returned to work, enabling waste collection services to continue”.

Roodepoort backlog blamed on truck shortage

Unlike the other four depots, Roodepoort’s disruption is not related to the ongoing strike action.

Pikitup said that no protest is underway there, but a fleet problem is still holding up collections.

“Although there is currently no protest action at the Roodepoort Depot, waste collection services remain constrained due to a shortage of compactor trucks. This has affected the depot’s ability to clear the existing backlogs and return to normal waste collection schedules,” the entity said.

It added that “operational interventions are being implemented to stabilise service delivery”.

The depot’s own recovery plan shows a heavy backlog, with most Wednesday routes only scheduled for collection on 12 July Sunday, and several Tuesday and Thursday routes still pushed to 11 July Saturday.

When residents can expect collection

Pikitup said it is engaging affected communities in an effort to resolve the impasse and restore normal service.

“Pikitup continues to engage with all relevant stakeholders to resolve the current impasse involving ad hoc service providers casual workers while implementing operational measures to minimise service disruptions and progressively restore waste collection serviced in affected areas,” the statement said.

Recovery plans shared by the entity, indicate that some outstanding routes were to be collected from Friday, 10 July, others are scheduled for Saturday, 11 July, and the remainder for Sunday, 12 July.

Areas still waiting for collection, by depot

Roodepoort Depot:

• Lindhaven,
• Honeydew,
• Eagle Canyon,
• Bramfischerville,
• Ruimsig/Panorama,
• Northcliff,
• Tshepisong,
• Florida Park,
• Unified,
• Wilfordon, and
• all Wednesday routes including Helderkruin, Roodekrans, Wilro Park, Doornkop, Kloofendal, Honey Hills, Matholesville, Wilforden, Constantia and Sol Plaatjies.

Randburg Depot:

• all Monday routes (including Fourways Garden, Cedar Lake, Douglasdale, Craigavon, Noscot, Dainfern Highgate and Valley Ridge, Broadacres, Steyn City, Chartwell North);
• and all Tuesday routes (including Cosmo City extensions, Northriding, Juskei Park, Lion Pride, Blandford).

Marlboro Depot:

• Sulasmart,
• Kyalami,
• Zenzeleni,
• Nyamezela,
• Eastbank, and
• all Wednesday routes including Parkmore, Modderfontein, Hyde Park, Linbro Park, Sandhurst, Riverclub, Sandown, and Sandhurst and Zimbabwe.

Zondi Depot:

• Moroka and Dlamini 2, Jabavu, and Dobsonville, Longhill and Slovoville.

Waterval Depot:

• Parktown West and Westcliff,
• all Thursday routes (Northcliff extensions, Waterval Estate, Montroux, Blackheath, Risidale, Fairlands, Valeridene, Bosmont, Berario), and
• all Friday routes (Emmarentia, Parkview, Greenside, Victory Park, Melville).