Uncollected garbage is piling up across Johannesburg amid protests and labour disputes at waste management utility, Pikitup.
Only two landfill sites are fully operational – Goudkoppies and Robinson Deep, both south of the city – according to a Pikitup statement on Wednesday. Other landfills, including Marie Louise and Ennerdale, have been restricted to accepting only builders’ rubble and soil in an attempt to extend the lifespans of the sites. Trucks from northern depots, including Randburg, Midrand, Marlboro and Norwood, are being diverted to the two operational sites, dramatically extending turnaround times and creating a collection and street sweeping backlog in some neighbourhoods.“The queue of trucks to the two landfills has been so much more,” Pikitup spokesperson Anthony Selepe told GroundUp.Pikitup said management at the Selby, Orange Farm and Central Camp depots are talking to workers to restore services. The Roodepoort depot is also running behind schedule as teams attempt to normalise collections. Protests and labour tensions have also repeatedly disrupted garbage collection. Protesters claimed Pikitup promised to give permanent positions to hundreds of casual workers by late 2025. This was postponed to 15 January, but then postponed again, sparking a wave of strikes in late January. At the time, managing director Bukelwa Njingolo said general worker posts advertised in 2024 had to be advertised again. The process started after an internal audit and legal review found “material flaws” in the recruitment process. The labour disputes are ongoing. A worker at the Norwood Pikitup depot, who did not wish to be named, fearing repercussions, said, “They promised me I would be full time last year. I’m not.” The depot management denied making the promise. In Cosmo City, Pikitup said protesting residents disrupted operations demanding permanent job opportunities on Wednesday. The Randburg depot also shut down for several days after residents blocked the entrance on 3 March, demanding jobs.
Pikitup said the labour issues spilt over into community protests, with residents blocking depot gates in recent weeks to demand jobs in Zandspruit, Cosmo City, Kya Sands and Honeydew.
Workers have been threatened while attempting to collect refuse in some northern suburbs. Selepe said protesters and groups linked to former contractors were finding ways to “disrupt”, “intimidate” and “not allow our employees to do their work”. The DA alleged that the City of Johannesburg failed to transfer funds to Pikitup in January, leaving millions owed to landfill machinery suppliers and diesel for trucks unpaid. The City has denied this.
