BASIC service delivery in Ekurhuleni is grinding to a standstill as refuse removal trucks are out of diesel and depots remain dry.
“The DA has been raising its concerns over the massive diesel shortage, which is crippling service delivery throughout the metro since October last year. Despite promises from the metro that these shortages will be addressed, the crisis remains, Alderman André du Plessis said in a statement issued on Friday.
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“Diesel has been ordered timeously, however, orders have not been met by the contractors and now place undue pressure on the depots. Refuse removal trucks are also forced to refill diesel at alternative depots, which still have diesel, severely delaying the picking up of refuse.
“The delay in refuse removal is becoming a common occurrence in the metro with residents and communities growing frustrated, as pavements remain littered with trash. Many residents have resorted to removing their own refuse to dump sites. As anger and frustration begin to grow, ratepayers threaten to halt payments on their municipal accounts,” he said.
“The Aerotroplis is rapidly transforming into the ‘Trashotropolis’. Communities fear the possibility of disease and the increase of rodents that are a result of the lack of refuse removal. The metro is putting the health of communities at risk. The most vulnerable in informal settlements struggle with mountains of rubbish and without an action plan from the metro.
“The ANC-led coalition needs to take accountability and take those responsible to task.
“We have been in contact with the city manager, Dr Imogen Mashazi, throughout the diesel debacle, and while she inherited a collapsed solid waste department, we are confident she will correctly address the situation to ensure the immediate problems are rectified and structures put in place to prevent further backlogs and delay in service delivery,” Du Plessis added.
It was revealed at the council meeting on Thursday that the metro currently has four suppliers for fuel, two for petrol and two for diesel. However, one of the diesel suppliers is currently underperforming and has been placed on terms, Du Plessis said.
“The present tender expires at the end of June. The new tender process has already commenced and applications close at the end of March for new contractors to be appointed to start on June 1. We anticipate that the current backlogs will become a thing of the past then.”
