The Joburg City Council will, according to the Democratic Alliance (DA), convene an urgent council meeting on 6 April after the party’s request for a debate on the crisis resulting from the Pikitup employees’ strike.
The council confirmed it could be an extraordinary meeting on the strike followed by a media briefing by the speaker and chairperson of committees, councillor Solly Mogase.
In a statement, DA caucus leader councillor Vasco da Gama said the real test will be whether the ANC in the council will support a DA motion mandating the mayor to end the strike immediately. The statement said it was time to break the Pikitup deadlock as the city could no longer be held ransom by union pressure. “Our poorest communities are suffering horrendous health risks as rubbish mounts on streets and corners, with no access to alternative collections,” the statement said.
The party added that the city and communities could not continue to suffer the effects of the strike, including thuggery and violence by the workers until the mayor decides to act.
Meanwhile, in areas such as Alex, residents have banded together and, with support from council’s Region E including a Metro police escort, have cleaned the streets in the face of threats allegedly by Pikitup strikers.
In one instance, a group of residents, including Pikitup employees involved in a clean-up, were attacked by an alleged group of strikers, two of whom were arrested after being handed over to police by the residents.
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