Pikitup casual waste pickers have been protesting for almost a week, demanding that the waste management company employ them permanently.
In a statement on Monday, Pikitup said refuse services were operational in only two of the 12 depots in Johannesburg because of the protests.
On Friday, it said law enforcement (Johannesburg metro police, private security and Public Order Policing), had been deployed in the affected depots to defuse the situation.
Pikitup spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi said senior management was engaging workers to resume work and had stressed that the no work, no pay principle would be enforced.
“Senior managers were on the ground today, impressing upon employees to return to work and reminding them that the principle of no work, no pay applies in this instance. The engagements to find solutions to the issue will continue until the matter is resolved,” said Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi said the owners of ad hoc fleets, used to assist the company with waste collection, would be requested to provide compactor trucks and personnel to help clear the piles of litters strewn across the city and clear the waste backlog caused by the strike.
He said Pikitup condemned the workers’ violent conduct. Such behaviour prevented employees from working and rendering essential sanitation services as residents were entitled to a clean environment.
The causal workers have accused Pikitup of nepotism and corruption. Mkhwanazi denied the accusations.
“People with evidence of such should bring such evidence to the organisation so that disciplinary proceedings can be instituted against the implicated parties. In terms of corruption allegations, people are advised to bring such to the attention of the organisation and also open criminal charges against those implicated in such nefarious activities,” he said.
The City of Johannesburg has allocated R4.4 billion to Pikitup for the 2024/25 financial year, an increase from the previous year’s R3.9bn allocation.
Asked whether an increased budget would allow for the waste pickers to be made permanent, Mkhwanazi said: “The budget increase will cover a number of issues and might also cover issues of increasing staff complement.”
While efforts are ongoing to resolve the impasse, Pikitup is appealing to residents who are able to dispose of their waste at its integrated waste management facilities to do so.
The Star
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