ANCYL urges against dismissal of Pikitup strikers
With the stench and health and hygiene risks increasing due to the uncollected rubbish on the streets of Alex, local organisations are urging for a quick solution to the Pikitup strike.
An Alexandra organisation is gatvol and is calling for a speedy solution to the stench and health and hygiene risks arising from the decaying, uncollected rubbish on the streets, thanks to the endless Pikitup workers’ strike.
“We [are at] risk of a serious [disease] outbreak with the prolonged impasse in the strike. If deserving, their salary demand should be considered favourably to relate to inflation and their household needs, as it may be a rightful claim. But the strike shouldn’t be made to affect the rest of the community, in particular, the health of children and those struggling with chronic diseases.” This was said by Thabang Lediga and Thembani Manana, ANCYL branch officials for wards 108 and 116.
The strike, now in its fourth successive week, has resulted in the trashing of streets, a foul stench in the area and intimidation of residents who are working voluntarily to bring normalcy to the area by cleaning their surroundings.
Click here to read: Tension simmering between residents and Pikitup strike
Lediga said it was the workers’ right to strike for a living wage, and it was the responsibility of the employer to listen to them and arrive at an amicable decision which both parties could sustain.
“It’s important that they reach an agreement soon, as the health risks also impact residents and their families.”
Lediga discouraged any suggestion of dismissing the strikers, saying that it would worsen the situation and was a potential source of conflict between the strikers and the community as it was not known how the strikers and the community would react. “They should negotiate in good faith as prescribed by the labour laws,” Lediga said.
Manana said the irony was that the unrest impacted the strikers who are Alex residents, as trashing their own streets increased the risk of ill health to themselves. “With the school holidays and lack of recreation space due to overcrowding, their own children also play on the streets and many of them have already contracted unusual flu-like symptoms we suspect are linked to the decaying rubbish and the overly dirty streets,” Manana said.
She said the strikers and council needed to understand the magnitude and impact the strike has on the poor. “I wonder if it would have lasted this long if the trashing had happened in affluent and economic areas such as Sandton and other malls.”
Both also expressed concern about increased intimidation with every passing day, as frustrated community members offer to voluntarily clean their areas at the risk of attack by strikers.
