DURBAN - SOME DURBAN ratepayers are being forced to spend their own money to buy black refuse collection bags as the eThekwini Municipality has failed to deliver them for months despite billing consumers for the service.
The municipality has not delivered the bags to some households for the past six months.
That means it missed two rounds of deliveries as the plastic bags, according to residents, are delivered every three months.
But not all residents are experiencing challenges, some said they have received their supply on time.
It was not immediately clear how much the residents were paying for the black refuse bags as the cost is included in the monthly utility bill.
One of the residents affected by the non-delivery said he had contacted the municipality several times but had not received an explanation of what was going on.
Roger Arungasamy, who lives in Greyville, said he had engaged with the municipality on several occasions to find out what was happening with the delivery of his black refuse bags, but to date, there had been no explanation.
“For the past six months I have not been getting my refuse bags, I have resorted to going to the supermarkets to buy my own,” he said.
The plastic bags at supermarkets, depending on the number of bags per roll, can cost between R50 and R100.
That would mean, depending on usage, that Arungasamy has paid a minimum of R300 in the past six months, purchasing plastic bags that was supposed to be supplied as part of the municipal services.
“Once the bags are thrown into my yard, they cannot be stolen because we have a fence, so it’s not a question of theft, the municipality is simply not delivering them.
“My rates and service account is up to date, therefore I would like to know what the issue is,” he said.
The Mercury has seen other complaints on the municipality’s social media platforms from frustrated residents.
One resident said they had not received the bags for the past three months.
“We did not even get our 3 months’ supply of the thinnest black bags; we had to go and buy even though we are billed for them.”
Another resident said she had been promised by city officials that the plastic bags would be delivered last week, yet nothing came.
“They were supposed to deliver last weekend and this weekend, according to a city official who deals with that. I was home last weekend and nothing came, it’s a continuous thing in Garcin Place,” she said.
But other residents said their supply had been reliable.
Ivor Aylward, chairperson of the Bluff Ratepayers’ Association, said he had had a different experience as his refuse bags were delivered timeously.
“My bags were delivered last week, (if there are such reports in the area) it could be a once-off incident.
“Normally when there are such delays we reach out to the municipality’s office and this is sorted,” he said.
Rishi Singh, chairperson of the Clairwood Ratepayers’ Association, said in their area, they were given three months’ supply.
The DA’s Nicole Graham said the delivery of black refuse bags was an ongoing problem.
The quality of the bags was also an issue as some of the bags delivered were substandard, she said.
Last year there were media reports about residents getting substandard bags.
Residents complained that the refuse bags tore easily and were not fit for purpose.
The IFP’s Mdu Nkosi said: “The failure to deliver refuse bags is an ongoing problem that is affecting almost every part of the city, there is no explanation of why they are failing to deliver.”
Head of the Durban Solid Waste Unit (DSW), Raymond Rampersad, said the black bags were procured by the city’s supply chain unit which in turn supplies them to the unit.
“I must say the supply of bags has not been too great.”
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said they were not aware of the problem.
“As far as we know all communities are getting their refuse bags.
“If there are communities that are not getting them, we will look at what is the cause of that.”
THE MERCURY