Ward councillor Lynda Shackleford slams Pikitup over Bryanston garden refuse site closure

Ward 103 councillor Lynda Shackleford has accused Pikitup of management and planning failures as waste continues to pile up at the Ballyclare garden refuse site in Bryanston.

Shackleford returned to the Ballyclare Drive facility on August 25 with the Sandton Chronicle, five months after first raising concerns about its capacity.

Read more: Pikitup responds as Bryanston garden refuse site struggles to cope with surge in garden waste

“I was on site here with the Sandton Chronicle in March, identifying that we had a big problem whereby the Pikitup Ballyclare garden refuse site was under growing pressure, as waste volumes increased following the temporary closure of the Pikitup Woodmead garden refuse site for renovations,” Shackleford said.

“But guess what? Nothing was done.”

She added that operational challenges, including fleet and diesel supply issues, have worsened the situation, though the underlying waste management struggle is not new.

“Before I became a councillor in 2021, Pikitup put themselves together; they did a massive clean-up, but it never lasted,” she said.

Temporary closure follows operational strains

Shackleford said Pikitup issued a community notice on August 25 announcing the temporary closure of the facility due to operational challenges, although some operations continued on site.

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She also raised concerns about residents and construction companies who dump waste outside the site.

“There’s no proper management of this garden refuse site… There’s no proper plan for this garden refuse site. We got a response in March that they were putting an active plan together, but still nothing. The wood chipper they promised is still out of order.”

“Pikitup… it is now five years later. What is the plan for one of the most important garden refuse sites for the residents of Sandton?” Shackleford asked.

“Obviously, someone from senior management has been to the site and seen our latest mountains or hills in Bryanston. Where are we going from here? This cannot be another five years of no progress going forward.”

Pikitup spokesperson Anthony Selepe said the facility was closed for operational reasons to allow workers to clear accumulated waste after reaching full capacity.

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“It is anticipated that the site will be reopened on August 31. The closure of the site is part of efforts to clear the accumulated waste, and residents are advised to use the Linbro Park site,” Selepe said.

With regard to progress made since March on the active plan Pikitup indicated was being developed for the site, Selepe said: “The active plan, among other things, included the use of a shredding machine. However, due to financial constraints, the said machine has not yet been provided.”

He added that the wood chipper is not working, and at this stage it is difficult to estimate when it will be made available.

Selepe said Pikitup has consistently emphasised that it cannot keep the City of Johannesburg clean alone.

“Residents also have an important role to play by safeguarding their neighbourhoods against illegal dumping and reporting offenders to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department.”

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