Waste collection strike moves to Upper Highway areas
Normal waste collection has resumed in most parts of the City, but EPWP workers contracted to the Outer West Region are still striking.
ALTHOUGH waste collection has resumed in most parts of Durban, the Upper Highway areas are now affected as the Extended Public Work Programme (EPWP) workers from the Outer West Region demand to see the mayor, Zandile Gumede.
The affected areas include Kloof, Cato Ridge, Monteseel, Hammarsdale, Gillitts, Hillcrest Centre, Crestholme and Inanda Road.
The strike started last week in Durban as workers were demanding full time jobs.
ALSO READ: DSW workers ‘held hostage’ as EPWP workers go on strike
On Monday, workers from the Pinetown areas also embarked on strike action blocking DSW workers from getting out and strewing rubbish on the streets in New Germany, Pinetown and Clermont.
One of the workers from the New Germany depot told the Highway Mail on Monday that they are earning ‘peanuts’. “We only earn R139 a day which is not even R3 000 a month. We do more work than the permanent staff and are expected to work on public holidays but do not get money for overtime. We even worked on Christmas Day,” said a worker.
“We are not doing this because we are ungrateful for this job opportunity, we love our jobs but we feel as if we are being exploited,” she said.
eThekwini Municipality deputy head of communication, Mandla Nsele said workers from the Cleaning and Solid Waste Unit will be collecting waste in areas where the waste collection day is today (10 January).
“Once this is completed they will work to address the backlog by collecting waste that had been scheduled to be collected on Monday and then proceed to collect waste that was due to be collected on Tuesday in affected areas,” he said.
Residents are encouraged to take their waste out even if their collection day has passed as staff will be working hard to address the backlog caused by the strike.
“However, the public must note that EPWP workers contracted to the Outer West Region have embarked on strike action. Negotiations are ongoing to resolve the issue. Action is being taken with a contingency plan in place to address the backlog,” said Nsele.
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