Ward 102 residents were left without refuse collection for up to 18 days as a labour dispute at Pikitup brought waste services to a near standstill.
Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete has admitted that, beyond escalating complaints and keeping residents informed, there was very little the ward could do.
Read more: Services interrupted again at the Pikitup Randburg Depot
The crisis stemmed from a dispute involving casual workers who claimed they had been promised permanent positions in 2023, which triggered protests in January and February 2026. Trucks were set alight in Diepsloot even after an agreement was reportedly reached.
Campbell-Cloete was frank about the ward’s limitations. “There is no dedicated ward-level contingency fleet available to replace the city’s service when there are disruptions immediately,” she said.
The ward logged service requests, pushed for urgent catch-up collections, and advised residents’ associations to explore private collection alternatives, but operational authority rests entirely with the city through Pikitup.
According to Campbell-Cloete, residents who paid out of pocket for private collection are unlikely to be reimbursed. The city currently has no policy providing rebates or compensation when its service fails.
Adding to the crisis, two of the city’s four active landfill sites are reportedly closed due to unpaid service providers.
Also read: Pikitup Randburg depot is open again
Campbell-Cloete warned that this forces trucks to travel further to offload waste, reducing daily collection trips and deepening backlogs. “This kind of financial and operational instability will make refuse collection increasingly inconsistent,” she said.
Allegations of nepotism in Pikitup’s recruitment practices were raised at a Section 79 committee meeting on March 10 this year, but the city has yet to respond. Any forensic investigation, the councillor noted, would likely take months to conclude.
Campbell-Cloete has thrown her support behind a proposal to classify refuse collection as an essential service, arguing that it would reduce prolonged stoppages and compel the city to maintain adequate contingencies.
@caxtonjoburgnorth Overflowing dustbins tell the story of Ward 102’s weeks-long refuse crisis. Video: Nkazimulo Ncube #Localnews #caxtonlocalmedia #johannesburg #Communitynews #Servicedelivery #newsupdate #2026 ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
When asked what assurances she could offer residents in the future, her answer was blunt: “From a ward councillor perspective, unfortunately, none.”
The Randburg Sun submitted questions to Pikitup on the issue, but received no response at the time of publication. This article will be updated once they respond.
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