A service delivery crisis has hit Johannesburg as waste collection has been severely impacted by a protest by municipal workers. The city's waste collection entity, Pikitup, is facing a massive backlog with fewer workers available, resulting in rubbish piling up in northern, western, and southern areas. Residents have been witnessing piles of garbage in unemptied bins stacked outside residence entrances and shopping centres. The protests stem from an unfulfilled wage and benefits agreement known as the Politically Facilitated Agreement (PFA), which Samwu entered into with the city in 2016.
The protest has not only affected Pikitup but also other city entities like Joburg Water. Some workers of Joburg Water are Samwu members, and their participation in the protest has impacted the entity's operations. Pikitup spokesperson Anthony Selepe attributed the disruption in services to the Samwu protest. He stated that the entity has minimal capacity on the road and is working on measures to deal with the backlog. Selepe, however, could not confirm when services will return to normal.
A Sowetan team visited several areas, including Emmarentia, Florida, Roodepoort, Roosevelt, Randburg, Olivedale, and Fourways, and witnessed the piles of garbage. Most of the waste was meant to be collected between Monday and Wednesday but had developed a stench that was attracting flies. Residents expressed frustration, with some stating they were not notified about the service interruption. A Fourways resident mentioned that the smell from the bin had become really strong due to the current heatwave.
In some areas, residents were notified of the disruption on Monday. Pikitup had informed residents of a three-day waste collection backlog resulting from operational challenges, including fleet breakdowns and the increased distance required to transport waste to the outlying landfill site. The situation was expected to be compounded by the Samwu meeting, resulting in a suspension of services across the city and its entities.
Lee Young of the Parktown North Residents Association stated that some waste was collected, but a large part of the area was still unserviced. He also mentioned that some areas like Sandown have not had water due to challenges at Joburg Water. Young said the supply from a reservoir was not enough to reach residents. Johannesburg Water claimed that the Samwu protest was affecting operations and causing delays in service delivery.
Samwu, however, claimed that the protest was only on Monday and that their members resumed duties on Tuesday. The union stated that their members were at work, while management and leadership were in negotiation talks with the city and had accompanied some members to court who were arrested for violence during the protest. Samwu's deputy regional secretary, Richard Moila, said it would be an exaggeration to say services of the city have been disrupted because of the protest.
Pikitup has pleaded for patience but could not say when all the rubbish will be collected. The entity's spokesperson, Anthony Selepe, said it would be hard to predict when services would be back in full swing. Selepe added that all city entities are affected, and only Pikitup's impact will be immediately visible. The city's service delivery crisis is expected to continue until the Samwu protest is resolved.
Key points
- Joburg residents face trash pileup amid Samwu protest over unfulfilled wage agreements
- The protest has impacted not only Pikitup but also other city entities like Joburg Water
- Samwu claims the protest was only on Monday and members resumed duties on Tuesday
