Johannesburg - Pikitup is hoping to restore order in Joburg by Friday after its employees embarked on an unprotected strike, spewing trash across the city and leaving residential dustbins uncleared.
Managing director Amanda Nair said at a media briefing at the City of Joburg’s waste collection service provider’s Selby depot that their recovery plan had kicked into action on Sunday morning.
“Our intention is to run a rapid recovery programme where we recover what has been lagging for this week across the entire city,” she said.
“During the course of the past week, some 30 000 tons of waste have piled up in various parts of the city, and if left unattended, is going to result in a serious health hazard to our residents.”
The contingency plan would see external service provider the Red Ants pick up rubbish in the inner city and surroundings, after which the streets would be washed by water trucks.
“We’re pretty certain that when people start to arrive in the city tomorrow (Monday) morning, the city will be clean.”
Nair said that from Monday, residents could put their dustbins outside according to their normal collection schedule. However, she appealed for residents to take the bins back inside overnight if the rubbish hadn’t been collected and to put them back outside again the following morning.
“We want to assure residents that by the end of this week, we will have cleared their bins. We have deployed additional vehicles, equipment and manpower.”
She also encouraged residents and businesses to continue taking their waste to one of the city’s 42 garden refuse sites. Pikitup workers downed tools last Monday, reportedly due to grievances around salary disparities and alleged corruption, among others.
South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) chairman at Pikitup Johannes Phalamashweu said last week that workers also wanted Nair to resign because she was corrupt and victimising members.
Employees continued striking even after Pikitup secured a court interdict on Wednesday preventing workers from continuing with the strike.
Matshidiso Mfikoe, a member of the mayoral committee for environment and infrastructure services, said Pikitup management and Samwu would meet on Monday. They were expected to discuss allegations of internal disparities in salaries in the company, benchmarking of salaries with that of other City of Joburg entities, and the system of salary progression.
“Disciplinary processes as well as legal action will be taken against those responsible for the intimidation, violence as well as damage to property that has ensued over the week,” Nair said.
They would continue to use the services of the police, metro police and private security to protect the staff who would be cleaning the city. Mfikoe said that if workers brought evidence to support claims of corruption against Nair, they would be investigated.
Samwu leadership could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
@Gabi_Falanga
The Star
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