Refuse collection and street sweeping services resume
Residents are urged to take out their refuse bags on scheduled collection days.
THE eThekwini Municipality has informed residents and businesses that refuse collection and street sweeping services, which were affected by the recent illegal strike action, have resumed.
According to a statement released by the municipality, a massive clean-up operation and the clearing of the waste collection backlog have already commenced.
Also read: Refuse collection resumes in some parts of Durban
“Residents are urged to take out their refuse bags on the morning of their scheduled collection days. The municipality would like to thank all residents and businesses for their patience during this time,” the municipality said in a statement.
Meanwhile, residents on The Bluff continue dumping refuse at the entrance of Tara Road Garden site. Mountains of rubbish are piling up outside the garden site, and this could attract pests and insects, all of which can spread infections.
According to the eThekwini Waste Removal by-law of 2016, any person found guilty of dumping shall be liable for a fine or imprisonment. The municipal by-laws give the municipality the authority to name and shame people convicted of dumping in public spaces.
Ward 66 councillor Zoë Solomon said that DSW trucks are on the road, however, there’s still no schedule for refuse collection.
A total of 81 employees are on precautionary suspension for misconduct committed during the illegal strike while 1 891 employees have been given notices of misconduct and 88 employees have been dismissed for their participation in the unlawful industrial action which started on February 27.
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Disciplinary hearings for the 81 suspended employees were held from March 13 to 18.
Mayor of eThekwini Mxolisi Kaunda said in a statement that a team of 300 volunteers has been put together to clean the affected areas in Durban and its surroundings.
He appealed to the public to be patient as the municipality has started to restore basic services.
“We fully understand their frustration as some of them have been without water and electricity for a number of days. Therefore, we want to plead with community members to refrain from blockading roads because it poses yet another challenge to our already strained resources. When roads are blocked with burning tyres, our staff is delayed and at times prevented from reaching areas to resolve water and electricity faults,” the statement read.
He commended the community safety structures, such as Community Police Forums and neighbourhood watches, for supporting law enforcement agencies by escorting municipal workers to restore services in certain areas.
“This demonstrates that, as social partners, we are all committed to bringing the situation in the city to normalcy, and we are confident that the engagements we have started with all affected parties will yield desired outcomes,” said Kaunda in a statement.
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