Protest action severely inhibits Pikitup services
Many areas in Gauteng have been hotbeds for protest action directed towards Pikitup, which has threatened employee lives and affected service delivery.
Protesting residents torch Pikitup refuse collection truck causing delays in refuse collection services. Image: Twitter/@CleanerJoburg
According to a statement released by Pikitup on Monday morning, waste collection services in certain areas in Gauteng will be adversely affected due to mounting protest action.
On Monday morning alone, the Central Camp and Zondi depots were affected by violent protesters who “forcefully want to be insourced and absorbed despite not meeting the set criteria during the verification process currently under way,” the statement reads.
READ MORE: Refuse collection disruptions loom as Jozi@Work threatens Pikitup
Pikitup says despite its attempts to raise concerns with JMPD and SAPS, the situation continues unabated.
On Friday, a Pikitup truck was burnt down in Diepkloof, and another one was stoned and damaged in the same area.
As a result, Pikitup managing director Lungile Dhlamini advised depot managers that “it would be irresponsible to allow our staff members to work under such working conditions, as their safety could not be guaranteed until a political solution was found”.
Pikitup also explained that because the nature of the protests was outside the entity’s mandate, any stakeholders with objections were urged to direct their concerns “at the appropriate levels”, most notably, to raise them with the mayor, speakers and members of the mayoral committee offices.
Affected areas include the following:
Diepkloof, Orlando East, Orlando West, Dube, Meadowlands, Noordgesig, Pennyville, Klipspruit, Motsoaledi, Pimville, Kliptown, Senaone, Dlamini, Moroka, Mfolo South, Mfolo North, Mfolo Central, Protea Glen Zondi, Jabavu, Central Western Jabavu, Jabulani, Dobsonville, Protea Glenridge, Chiawelo, Emdeni, Phiri, Mapetla, Slovoville Greenvillage, Longtill, Sgodiphola and Lefhureng.
Further communication regarding refuse backlogs will be received later this week, the statement concluded.
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