Uvongo gets services despite ongoing strike
Ward 19 councillor George Henderson said they are fortunate, as a ward, to have some service from RNM during the strike while most other wards are left on their own.
In spite of the three-month-long Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) workers’ strike, Ward 19 in Uvongo is receiving some form of service, while other wards have to bear the brunt of piles of rotting rubbish.
“We are fortunate, as a ward, to have some service from RNM during the strike. Most other wards are left on their own,” said ward councillor George Henderson.
“I recently received a message from RNM Community Services Head of Department, Mthandeni Ndwalane, informing me that the dumping has to stop at the Uvongo Town Hall and that they will commence black bag collection soon. Private individuals who are assisting are requested to dump at the landfill site, free of charge,” said Henderson.
In the message, Ndwalane said Uvongo residents are requested to take their refuse out on scheduled days, and the municipality will collect it.
When the Herald reached out to Ndwalane, he confirmed his communication with Henderson.
He said they (the municipality) had to make a special request for refuse to be collected at the Uvongo Town Hall because the illegal dumping was getting out of hand.
“We are also making other plans to collect refuse in other areas,” said Ndwalane.
Henderson added that while the strike is still on, and with only one refuse truck to serve Ward 19, it would be difficult to predict when and where the truck would be.
“The department normally uses at least three trucks to do a sweep on scheduled days. With a driver who is not familiar with the area yet and rookies as assistants, it aggravates the situation, and it, therefore, takes much longer to complete an area,” he said. Henderson advised residents not to put their black bags out as per the normal schedule but rather when the truck arrives in the area.
He said as an alternative, they can put the bags out, and if RNM doesn’t collect them, they can take them back into their property.
“It will assist greatly if residents can post on the WhatsApp groups when they see the truck in their street to inform others. Please, let’s show respect to other residents by not dumping our refuse bags on other residents’ property or the next corner. Rather, place it outside your gate,” said Henderson.
Henderson thanked the various groups and organisations, such as the Black Bag Group, Tidy Towns and certain individuals who assisted in removing refuse.
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