Pikitup clears waste backlog in Joburg
Casual workers downed tools and trashed the city centre in recent weeks, as their temporary contracts expired.
Casual workers at Pikitup staged a protest over employment contracts outside the Randburg depot on Thursday 16 May 2024. Picture: Mongezi Koko/ Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - Waste collector Pikitup has managed to clear a backlog of services caused by protesting workers over contractual disputes in the Johannesburg CBD.
Casual workers downed tools and trashed the city centre in recent weeks, as their temporary contracts expired.
The group has also made accusations of dodgy recruitment methods and corruption.
Braamfontein, Joubert Park, Hillbrow and the CBD were severely affected by the strike.
Rubbish-marred pathways with no way to avoid the pungent stench as a result of days of no collection became the order of the day for affected areas.
The city launched an urgent investigation into allegations of corruption at the service and subsequently released 400 new job posts.
In addition to this three back-to-back shifts, weekend shifts have been added to attend to the backlog.