Pikitup takes measures to clean Joburg after the holidays

Johannesburg Pikitup said it had reinforced its staff to ensure that refuse is picked up at various places after the Christmas holidays.

This comes after a number of complaints from residents about refuse that has not been collected throughout the festive season. Some residents had complained about the filth that had been piling up in the Joburg CBD as well.

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Trash piling up

These are some of the complaints on X: “Is Pikitup @CleanerJoburg operating tomorrow? Because wow, the trash has been piling okay,” said @Keaby_m.

“So far not much has changed this year sun still rose in the east and we not sure if Pikitup will follow their schedule,” said @mike_superb.

The waste management company said measures had been taken to ensure that waste collection continued even during the festive season.

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“We have placed concrete, swivel and skip bins in and around the inner city for communities and businesses to contain their waste rather [than] throwing [it] on curb sides. We have also acquired EPWP’s to assist us in the absence of our permanent staff,” the utility said in a statement.

According to Pikitup the bulk of permanent staff would only be back at work by mid January.

“The biggest challenge in the Inner City is the recurring of illegal dumpings of which as part of our intervention we continuously do education and awareness jointly with other government entities. Part of [the] awareness is to encourage residents, communities and businesses to acquire 240L bins from Pikitup to use as a tool to contain waste,” Pikitup said.

The DA in Johannesburg had complained that the inner City looked filthy with littering at the corner of many streets.