Johannesburg - Ten people including several Pikitup employees have been arrested in southern Joburg over the past week on charges of fraud and misrepresentation.
Pikitup spokesperson Bulelwa Zimba said two men dressed in Pikitup uniforms were arrested in Mondeor, after a member of the area Community Policing Forum questioned them about their presence in the area. “One of the two men had a fictitious Pikitup identification and a forged company letter head granting them permission to ask for donations from residents,” he said.
In the Glenvista and Bassonia area four men, also pretending to be Pikitup employees were arrested.
“In Glenanda, a Pikitup employee stationed at the Selby depot was arrested while in the act of asking for Christmas donations from residents using a fictitious letter from the organisation.
“A further three Pikitup employees were arrested in Mulbarton, also asking for donations from residents,” he said.
Zimba added that the three implicated Pikitup employees were stationed at various depots and they will face internal disciplinary process.
Pikitup Acting Chief Operations Officer Mzu Tshem (corr) said the implicated staff members were aware that the organisation does not allow staff members to ask for Christmas gifts from residents. “Workers are consistently being told and reminded to refrain from asking Christmas donations from residents.
“The implicated workers will be subjected to internal disciplinary action as a result,” he said.
Pikitup has appealed to all Joburg residents to report such incidents to their Community Policing Forums and the police as the organisation does not permit its employees to solicit Christmas donations from residents.
“This culture as indicated by the recent incidents offers criminal elements to defraud residents of their hard earned money,” Zimba concluded.
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