REFUSE bags have piled up on Durban North’s residential roads after DSW staff left refuse on the roadside during a two week go-slow which rose from an overtime payment dispute. Piles of black bags are dotted along several roads including Beachway Road, Clarendon Drive and Adelaide Tambo Drive.
Proportional Representative Councillor for ward 36, Shontel de Boer said DSW staff and management reached an agreement on Tuesday and all refuse should be collected by Friday.
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“They came to an agreement, and staff resumed collection as normal. They are now dealing with a backlog. There is about two weeks of refuse standing on verges,” she said.
On Monday, eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda convened an urgent meeting with the leaders of organised labour to find a lasting solution to the problem.
“Last week, the residents of eThekwini complained to the municipality about uncollected refuse following a stand-off between the management and workers over the issue of the implementation of overtime changes. The unions have accused the management of implementing the changes without proper consultation,” said Kaunda.
The eThekwini Municipality mayor, on Monday, apologised to residents for the inconvenience caused and requested that the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Infrastructure, Human Settlement and Transport, councillor Thanduxolo Sabelo, facilitate consultations between labour and management.
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