Metro investigates wheelie bin corruption

The metro is investigating a matter of possible corruption at the Benoni Waste Depot after an employee gave the City Times a wheelie bin, without registering it, in exchange for R100.

In early May, while wheelie bins were being distributed from the Benoni Waste Depot in Golden Drive, Morehill, the City Times received reports from the public saying employees at the depot were “selling” extra bins to people for a bribe, without registering the bins.

People would pick up the one bin allowed for by their existing monthly refuse payments, and be offered a second or more, by paying cash on the spot.

This would result in bins leaving the depot, without residents having to pay monthly installments.

The resident will then only pay for one bin a month, but receive the services of more.

The City Times accompanied a member of the public to the depot on May 8.

Wearing a hidden camera and a hidden microphone, we were to pick up a wheelie bin on behalf of a third party.

When we accompanied one of the employees to the container with wheelie bins, we asked how we could get a second bin if we need it.

The man said: “If you have R100, we can sort something out now.”

In response, I asked if this would then be paid monthly to the metro.

The employee said it would be a once-off payment to him, in exchange for which he would not register the second wheelie bin taken.

We continued by taking the bin and paying the R100.

The metro was sent a photo of the bin standing in a street and asked whether the bin was registered to a resident.

“Our investigations revealed that the wheelie bin (serial number 051 623 092) in the picture is missing,” the comment stated.

“We think the bin was stolen from our depot during the distribution or the bin was mistakenly taken by the person(s) who took the bins with serial numbers 051 623 091 or 051 623 093.

“We have records of these two bins, but we do not have any signed record of the missing bin.”

The metro was then sent a part of the video taken by the City Times and asked for additional comment.

Madikana Thenga, head of Ekurhuleni’s Department of Waste Management, said on Monday (June 12) that the metro had received the video and was investigating the matter.

He said a full report would be ready later in the week.

The City Times returned the missing wheelie bin to the Benoni Waste Depot on June 15.