Waste problems persist at Cedar Road Garden Site

Although the Cedar Road Pikitup Garden Site is operational, many problems still remain.

The site has seen numerous problems such as being intermittently closed since August last year and workers at the site turning down residents who would like to get rid of garden waste as reported in the Fourways Review article Waste continues to pile up [Week ending 14 February].

The reasoning for the issues at the site stem from a shortage of machinery and trucks that have caused service disruptions. In a statement, spokesperson for Pikitup Muzi Mkhwanazi said that the entity currently has 117 trucks but need 155 with the average availability being 60 per cent.

He added, “Pikitup has submitted its fleet requirement to the City Group Shared Services for the procurement of its fleet complement that would enable it to service the residents of the City effectively and efficiently. The City’s Group Shared Services is still busy with the tender to procure the required fleet. It is anticipated that the required re-fleeting would be achieved in a duration of 18 months after tender award.”

Ward 94 councillor David Foley said that the site is operational and that Pikitup employees are working very hard but the problems, such as a broken down wood chippers and access to only one compactor, has made their jobs very difficult.

Mkhwanazi said, “The chipper need a starter replacement and service we were informed that the company that was servicing and repairing the plant their contract expired waiting for a new service provider.”

He added that the site also deals with residents use the site for household waste which is not its function. He explained that some residents will hide their household waste within their garden waste which not only causes a horrible stench at the site but also makes the employees’ job hard because they are unable to make compost from this waste.

Details: www.pikitup.co.za

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