When refuse collection delays left rubbish piling up on pavements across parts of Johannesburg, residents decided not to wait.

Instead, they rolled up their sleeves, teamed up with the non-profit organisation, Let’s Work, and removed 12 truckloads of household waste in just a few days, turning frustration into community action.

The clean-up initiative has so far assisted residents in Roosevelt Park, Linden, Montgomery Park, and Emmarentia, where refuse collection disruptions left bags accumulating outside homes.

Read more: Waste no match for united clean-up force in Albertsville Park 

Let’s Work founder Felicity Lawlor said the organisation stepped in after recognising that prolonged refuse delays would quickly create environmental and health concerns. “As refuse began piling up because of the ongoing collection disruptions, we knew it wouldn’t take long before bags were being ripped open, rubbish was blowing into the streets, and there were potential health concerns.”

Also read: Pikitup deploys extra resources to clear waste backlog, but landfill crisis wages on

Rather than waiting for normal refuse collection to resume, the organisation mobilised volunteers and worked alongside residents to reduce the impact of the disruption. She said the initiative would not have been possible without residents contributing towards transport costs, co-ordinating their streets, and volunteering their time. She added that the biggest challenge has been dealing with refuse that has already been torn apart by recyclers. “Our volunteers have had to manually collect loose rubbish and re-bag it before loading it onto the trucks.” She added that many residents had also filled wheelie bins with garden refuse, creating further delays because the collections were intended for household waste only.

Ward 88 councillor Nicolene Jonker praised the initiative, saying it demonstrated the strength and resilience of local communities during a difficult period. Jonker, however, stressed that community action should never become a substitute for municipal service delivery. “Every truckload removed means cleaner streets, fewer health risks, and less illegal dumping. It is a remarkable achievement, although residents should never have been placed in a position where this became necessary.”

Jonker also thanked everyone who contributed to the campaign, whether through donated resources, volunteering, organising collections, or helping load refuse. “You showed what can happen when a community refuses to become helpless in the face of a problem.”

While Let’s Work hopes normal municipal collections resume soon, Lawlor said the organisation will continue assisting affected communities where possible, depending on the availability of volunteers, trucks, and funding. “Our hope is that normal municipal collections resume as soon as possible. In the meantime, we’ll continue helping where we are able. This initiative wasn’t about replacing the city; it was about neighbours helping neighbours during an exceptionally difficult period.”

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