Residents in parts of Johannesburg have faced waste collection delays since last Friday, with the Democratic Alliance attributing the issue to strikes and payment disputes, while Pikitup cites operational challenges.
Waste collection services in Johannesburg have been disrupted for over a week, beginning with a protest on 3 March by residents from Zandspruit, Cosmo City, Kya Sands, and the Malatjie informal settlement. The protesters blockaded Pikitup’s Randburg Depot, demanding permanent employment and halting staff and equipment from operating. Pikitup reported that the blockade ended on 6 March, allowing services to resume, but ongoing issues persisted.
On 10 March, a video circulated on social media, linked to Helen Zille’s campaign as the DA’s mayoral candidate, showing rubbish strewn across Cosmo City streets. The footage depicted individuals blocking roads and dumping waste, with the narrator claiming these were angry Pikitup workers. Johannesburg’s MMC for environment and infrastructure services, Jack Sekwaila, refuted this in a statement, asserting that Pikitup employees were not striking and labeling the claims as misleading. "A video posted on TikTok by Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille falsely claims that Pikitup employees are on strike. This statement is misleading and false," the statement read.
The DA countered with allegations of a pay dispute, including a 8 March video from Zille showing a waste truck turned away from the Robinson Deep Landfill site. DA shadow MMC Tyrell Meyers stated that entry to the site was blocked due to payment issues, leading to its closure and reports of piling refuse in the city.
Pikitup’s 11 March statement attributed disruptions to operational challenges, including limited landfill availability. Only Goudkoppies and Robinson Deep sites were fully operational, causing congestion and delays for northern depots like Randburg and Midrand. Spokesperson Anthony Selepe noted that this redirection of compactor trucks resulted in incomplete collection rounds. As of 11 March, 20 routes from Roodepoort Depot and five from Orange Farm Depot remained unserved since Tuesday. Pikitup has initiated clean-up operations in Cosmo City.
