Tshwane to combat waste collection chaos with law enforcement

City of Tshwane manager Johann Mettler says the municipality will not hesitate to unleash law enforcement against criminal elements hell-bent on causing chaos by disrupting waste operations.

Last week, the city announced a catch-up plan for household waste collection following disruptions in the normal collection and disposal of waste after introducing new service providers who assumed duty on 15 July.

Workers scared to go out on jobs

A municipal worker who agreed to speak anonymously said some workers were scared to go out on jobs in fear of being attacked or intimidated, but still did as they were scared to lose their jobs.

Bronkhorstspruit resident Marinda Moolman said they were feeling the repercussions of the new waste removal regulations.

“We were already a week behind because of the tension between the old workers and new workers,” she said.

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Moolman said she noticed the refuge truck collecting waste under TMPD guard last week.

City would not relex tightened specification

City spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the city would not relax the tightened specification for the refuse removal contract, despite the resistance by subcontractors.

“The city implemented the SS01 waste removal contract with effect from 15 July, after the tender had been approved by the bid adjudication committee,” he said.

The reviewed and tightened specification includes an eNatis valid certificate – to verify the roadworthiness of the vehicle, to present the vehicle on-site and to ensure that the vehicle certificate is not fraudulent.

Another regulation was the installation of a tracking device – to verify that the allocated routes were travelled and the vehicle should not be older than nine years – to prevent the frequent breakdown of an old vehicle and to minimise the wear and tear of the compaction mechanism.

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Specifications applied to the contractors and subcontractors

Bokaba said the specifications applied to the contractors and subcontractors.

“On the first day of deployment, vehicles were inspected, and only qualifying ones were allowed to work.”

“However, many of the subcontractors were not willing to adhere to the subcontracting conditions and, instead, opted to block some of the landfill sites and escalated the level of intimidation,” he said.

Bokaba said approximately 60% of the previous waste contractors had not been awarded new tenders owing to the stringent specifications aimed at improving efficiency.

Bokaba said the City was on high alert and monitoring the waste management environment closely following reports of intimidation and threats.

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