Overflowing bins and foul smells test patience amid Pikitup disruption

Residents in several parts of Johannesburg affected by Pikitup’s waste collection disruptions say they are growing increasingly frustrated as growing piles of rubbish remain uncollected.

While the impact differs from area to area, some residents say they may soon have no choice but to take their waste to the nearest dumping site themselves after weeks of it not being collected.

The complaints have surfaced since waste collection services in areas serviced by Pikitup’s Marlboro and Randburg depots were disrupted by protest action involving casual workers demanding permanent employment.

A resident of the Kent Downs complex in Benmore, Lydia Mills, said on Wednesday that although the complex had managed to avoid overflowing bins, refuse outside the gate had been piling up for the past two weeks.

“The bins have been full for about two weeks outside the gate. We are hoping they come today because Wednesdays are our normal collection days,” she said.

Mills said the lingering smell from full bins and uncertainty over collection days was becoming a serious concern. “Even though the bins are not overflowing because we have a lot of bins in the complex, they are quite smelly,” she said.

In Parkhurst, 67-year-old Delilah Simons questioned why residents continued to pay for municipal services when collections were unreliable. “I don’t see the importance of paying the municipality for services if they only come when they want to.”

Simons said the waste services were worryingly inconsistent. “Waste is collected whenever it suits them. Sometimes they don’t come on Mondays, sometimes they do. It is frustrating.”

She said her large refuse bin has been full for days and she has had to resort to filling extra plastic bags to keep the area tidy. “If they do not come to collect today or this week, I will have to make a plan to find the nearest dumping site.”

James Pienaar, a resident in Parkmore, Sandton, said he considered himself fortunate that the disruption was taking place in winter. “There are not a lot of flies around the bins,” he said. “I have a sweet tooth and throw away a lot of sugary things, so I have noticed ants around the bins. The ants don’t bother me much, but the smell does.”

Last week, Pikitup spokesperson Anthony Selepe confirmed that refuse collection had been affected in several areas and apologised to residents for the inconvenience.

Selepe said Pikitup’s teams were working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible and that every effort would be made to clear the backlog once the protest had ended.

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