Johannesburg – The Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and Pikitup will work together to ensure the safety of some 600 Pikitup workers following the trashing of parts of Hillbrow and the inner city on Tuesday night by Jozi@Work members.
The workers went on the rampage overturning garbage bins, littering extensively, burning tyres and threatening Pikitup staff who were busy with their cleaning shift.
This after they prevented City of Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba from opening a clinic in Riverbend, Alexandra in the morning.
Nico de Jager, member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for the environment and infrastructure services department said that due to the volatile situation, the safety of the 600 Pikitup workers who were due to start with the additional cleaning shift in Hillbrow this evening, cannot continue as their safety cannot be guaranteed at this time.
“I have engaged MMC for Public Safety, Michael Sun about this matter, and have been informed that the JMPD and Pikitup will strategise how best to work together to ensure the safety of Pikitup workers. However, the City will not be deterred from delivering services to residents of Johannesburg and this evening, cleaning will continue in other areas surrounding the inner city. Should circumstances allow, a shift will also be deployed to the inner city this afternoon."
“Damaging city infrastructure, threatening and intimidating Pikitup workers and hampering the city from delivering services to the residents of Joburg who have a right to quality service delivery, must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he said.
In his 2016/17 adjustment budget speech, Mashaba announced that an additional R49,2 million has been allocated to Pikitup in a bid to clean up the city.
This is through additional cleaning shifts in the inner city and within informal settlements.