Durban residents still have to contend with piles of rubbish bags littering their suburbs, despite Durban’s municipal workers’ strike being over.

The city announced almost two weeks ago that employees of the water and sanitation department as well as Durban Solid Waste (DSW) had gone back to work following an agreement reached between unions and the city.

However, according to IOL, residents in several areas including Yellowwood Park, Glenwood, the upper Highway and surrounds, have complained about rubbish not being collected from their streets.

In Chatsworth, a road was even closed after the local dump site reached capacity.

Crossmoor Community Policing Forum chairperson Zain Kassim told IOL that residents had to take their own rubbish to the dump site in Sunset Avenue due to the strike.

Once the site reached its capacity, some residents started dumping rubbish on the road, resulting in it becoming infested with flies and maggots.

Yesterday a team from DSW went to clean and sanitise the road but Kassim says “there is still a stench lingering in the area.”

EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said that due to the high number of issues reported by residents to the city, it might take time for all matters to be resolved.

“The entire workforce has returned to work as of May 7. DSW is working tirelessly to clear the backlog and assures everyone that all the areas and the city as a whole will be attended to. The residents’ concerns have been noted,” he said.

Mayisela further said that the city apologises for the inconvenience caused to residents.