City unveils new waste compactor trucks
“Service delivery is one of the biggest challenges the people of Ekurhuleni face. The new trucks will assure residents that they are taken seriously.”
Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) Nkosindiphile Xhakaza unveiled seven new state-of-the-art waste compactor trucks in Kempton Park last week.
Xhakaza was joined by MMC for Environmental Resources and Waste Management, Leshaka Manamela, and MMC for Human Settlement, Kgopelo Hollo.
The expansion of the waste management fleet is intended to ensure that residents are not faced with further waste collection issues.
The value of the trucks is R22.5m. According to Manamela, the latest edition will all be added to the 12 new trucks added to the city’s fleet last year.
The 19 vehicles added to the fleet bring the total investment into waste management vehicles to over R60m.
Manamela said that the mission of expanding the waste management fleet is to prioritise the health of the Ekurhuleni citizens.
“Our mission is clear. We want to create an environmentally conscious municipality that prioritises the health and well-being of our citizens.
“The introduction of these waste compactors is a step forward in realising this vision to ensure that we manage our waste efficiently, reduce pollution and safeguard our environment for future generations,” said Manamela.
According to Manamela, the department also received specialised equipment, such as chainsaws, slashers and brush cutters, for maintaining parks, cemeteries and open spaces.
He pledged that he would hand over the equipment to the different Ekurhuleni depots in the coming weeks.
“Service delivery is one of the biggest challenges the people of Ekurhuleni face and the unveiling of the new trucks is to assure residents that they are taken seriously.”
Members of the Mayoral Committee in attendance at the event committed to ensuring sustainable service delivery in Ekurhuleni.
Xhakaza said that his committee was committed to building a strong financial base so that they would be able to pay for the services that residents need.
He added that service delivery was a critical aspect his committee was fighting to resolve.
“Waste collection is service provision and is a critical aspect of what defines a municipality.
“Of course, we all know that there is a war against the provision of electricity, which is also one of the critical aspects.
“There is water provision and sanitation but importantly, cleanness. You can do it all, but if the city is not clean, you won’t give confidence to the community that you are on the right track,” said Xhakaza.
The mayor said that taking delivery of the new trucks would show residents that officials are serious about the commitments made.
“The unveiling of the waste compactor trucks confirms our commitment to the community that we want to drive service delivery with greater speed and we must be responsive as well. We can never be responsive if we do not have the fleet,” Xhakaza said.
The waste compactor trucks were designed by Specialized Vehicle Manufacturers (SVM) and are equipped with advanced technology including cameras around the vehicle.
The cameras will be used to monitor driver behaviour and waste collection in real-time and show transparency and accountability.
“The trucks are fitted with telematics and the city signed a three-year contract with UD. The telematics will give us reports on the driver’s driving skills.
“We will know exactly where our trucks are from when they commence duty until the end of duty.
“These trucks will assist us in measuring performance and productivity,” said senior manager for fleet and bin management in the waste management department, Thulani Mathibela.
