Tshwane's binmen down tools over non-payment

Waste Management employees are on strike after they have not been paid for the past three months. Picture: Oupa Mokoena

Waste Management employees are on strike after they have not been paid for the past three months. Picture: Oupa Mokoena

Published Mar 22, 2017

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Pretoria – After three months of scraping by on reserves, waste management sub-contractors responsible for waste removal in the capital downed tools on Monday.

They said they had gone for months without being paid by the city’s main contractor, Moipone Group of Companies, hired by the city.

Contractor Dan Mawela said the 28 sub-contractors affected had been trying to survive on their cash reserves to ensure workers and vehicles used for waste collection kept operating despite the lack of payment.

“The workers are our responsibility and that is why we have tried our best to keep paying them, using whatever means we could."

"But we can’t keep going on as if it’s business as usual without being paid.”

“We’ve written to them and sent our invoices but we have received no notification or information whatsoever. We tried to subsidise and assist the main contractor but our cash reserves are depleted and we need a way forward,” he said.

Mawela said although the city had apparently paid the main contractor, they had failed to process the payments on their side.

“We have 150 trucks and we need the money to pay the workers, maintain trucks, pour fuel and pay the banks for the trucks. It’s not fair for us to be expected to continue providing much needed services without payment or any sort of communication at all about what the problem is.”

The contractor said collectively, a decision was taken to stop all services until payments were made.

City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that several areas across the city had experienced disruptions of waste collection services since Monday.

Mashigo said there were ongoing meetings under way between the city administration and the main contractor charged with waste transport trucks.

“This meeting is aimed at identifying the challenges that led to the stoppage and finding an amicable solution to reinstate the service soon.”

“The city wishes to apologise for the household and business refuse that has not been collected as per the standing waste collection schedule,” he said.

Pretoria News

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