The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment and Infrastructure Services Department, councillor Mpho Moerane, extended his condolences to the family of an employee of the Pikitup Roodepoort depot who passed away over the weekend.
The MMC learnt that the 55-year-old employee, who was in hospital at the time of her passing, also tested positive for Covid-19.
“In line with the Covid-19 regulations as issued by the National Department of Health and World Health Organization (WHO), the depot has been closed for 48 hours and will be decontaminated. All employees who had direct contact with the infected employee have been advised to self-isolate.
The depot will reopen on Monday, 22 June,” the MMC said.
He added that, as standard procedure, Pikitup’s Health and Wellness unit will monitor all employees and offer support and counselling. Employees in self-quarantine will be constantly engaged to monitor if they have developed Covid-19 related symptoms while in isolation.
He assured residents that waste collection services will continue and said, “Despite the closure of the Roodepoort depot, waste collection services in areas serviced by the depot will be provided through augmented services. Garden sites in the area will also be operational as employees at such sites did not interact with the deceased employee.”
The councillor for Ward 70, Caleb Finn expressed his condolences to the employee’s family and her colleagues at the depot, after learning about her death.
In a Facebook post, he wrote, “In the interim Pikitup has allocated staff from other depots to assist Roodepoort Depot and they are working as fast as they can. These are all staff who do not normally work in the area and as such there will be some challenges. I ask in advance for your patience and understanding. The depot is running behind and routes are not being followed exactly as they were due to the current situation. All residents are advised to place their bins outside by 7am on the scheduled day of collection, and should the bin not be emptied by 7pm, it should be taken inside and placed outside again at 7am the following day.
As we have experienced several cases where dustbins have been set on fire when they were left outside overnight, it is not advisable to leave them outside overnight.
Thank you for your understanding and patience during what is a difficult time for the depot.”
