Some Randburg suburbs have gone more than two weeks without refuse collection. (X Yamkeleka Manjeya
@manjeya_wendy)
Refuse collection remained uneven across large parts of Randburg this week, despite assurances from Johannesburg’s waste management company Pikitup that normal operations would resume following a strike by casual workers demanding permanent employment.
Waste collection had effectively collapsed again over the weekend, leaving some residents without service for more than two weeks, Democratic Alliance ward 99 councillor Hendrik Bodenstein said.
“Everything grinded to a halt over the weekend,” he said. “And residents were up in arms. There are people with 18 days without refuse collection and it is now quite clear that refuse collection is an essential service.”
According to Bodenstein, the worst-affected suburbs are those closest to Pikitup’s Randburg depot, including Linden Extension, Darrenwood, parts of Blairgowrie, Robindale, Robin Hills, Robin Acres, Malanshof and Ferndale.
“Some of these suburbs haven’t been collected at all,” he said. “On the western side of the highway things are better but within the central ring road it’s been spotty at best.”
Pikitup casual workers have been on strike for weeks over delays in their permanent placement. Waste collection resumed briefly last week after intervention by city authorities but stalled again over the weekend as tensions escalated.
Bodenstein said residents and workers were now both bearing the cost of the impasse.
“We’re bringing an urgent request for a debate in the public interest because we need a solution for the workers,” he said. “They’ve been very badly affected. A lot of them can’t afford rent this month and they’ve got nothing to eat, frankly. It’s a very desperate situation.”
At the same time, residents were being forced to pay out of pocket for private refuse collection as health risks mounted.
“It is really, really bad and has become dire,” Bodenstein said. “We’ve been given the runaround. There are reports that trucks might be on the road on Wednesday but seeing is believing — and for how many days? I’m not too optimistic.”
On Tuesday, Pikitup managing director Bukelwa Njingolo set out the entity’s position in a letter to city manager Floyd Brink and DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeonzonjoku, attributing the service disruptions to “protest action by a group of casual workers who prevented Pikitup employees from accessing certain depots”.
“Pikitup and the City of Johannesburg fully recognise the importance of uninterrupted waste collection services and the associated public health and environmental implications,” Njingolo wrote.
“It is, however, necessary to place the current situation on record in order to provide clarity, ensure factual accuracy and outline the measures being implemented to restore service stability.”
She said Pikitup had in 2024 advertised general worker positions but “subsequent internal audit and legal review identified material flaws in the recruitment process necessitating the restarting from the beginning to ensure fairness policy and legal compliance”.
Pikitup had initiated legal proceedings to obtain a court interdict against the obstruction of depot operations, which would allow law enforcement to remove protesters blocking access points, “thereby allowing employees to perform their duties without intimidation or interference”, Njingolo said.
While disruptions have been severe in Randburg, Njingolo said only three of Pikitup’s 12 depots — Marlboro, Midrand and Randburg — were affected.
A meeting between Pikitup management, city officials, organised labour and representatives of casual workers on Tuesday had resulted in an agreement for normal operations to resume while “recruitment-related challenges are addressed jointly by the City of Johannesburg, Pikitup and organised labour, including representatives of casual workers”, she added.
Pikitup is currently implementing a catch-up plan to clear waste collection backlogs in the affected areas.
“Residents will be kept informed of progress and notified should any further service related challenges arise during this period,” Njingolo wrote in the letter.
“The City and Pikitup remain committed to transparent communication with residents and stakeholders and to exercising decisive leadership to safeguard public health, environmental integrity and the dignity of all Johannesburg residents.”
Bodenstein said the situation on the ground remained uncertain.
“We’re sitting with a ‘he-said, she-said’. The workers say one thing, Pikitup management says another,” Bodestein added.