Waste collection resumes in Randburg following casual workers' strike

After a fortnight of uncollected refuse, residents of Randburg in the north of Johannesburg, finally saw waste collection services restart, after casual workers reached an agreement to reopen the Pikitup depot following discussions with management.

- Sheree Bega

Operations at the depot had been fully halted for seven days as protesting casual employees went on strike, insisting on permanent contracts they maintained were promised to them in 2023. The workers also raised concerns about alleged nepotism in the company's recruitment practices.

The work stoppage saw the Pikitup Randburg depot gates blocked with piles of refuse, while rubbish accumulated across multiple suburbs, creating what residents described as a growing health hazard.

A breakthrough was reportedly reached when workers agreed to allow trucks to leave the depot after management committed to convening a board meeting on Thursday and to provide formal feedback to workers on Friday, as reported by The Citizen on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, Pikitup chief operating officer Meyrick Ramatlo rejected the workers' allegations of nepotism, saying such claims were being investigated by the City of Johannesburg.