The City of Tshwane was hard at work during the weekend in implementing its catch-up plan for refuse removal in Region 6, despite intimidation by disgruntled workers of the former refuse service providers.
Many residents were forced to bear the brunt of uncollected rubbish owing to disruption of waste-management services by service providers who didn’t meet the requirements of the SS01 waste-removal contract implemented with effect from July 15, 2024.
On Saturday, the City reported that rubbish collection was under way and that it was making good progress.
Tshwane metro police escorted waste-management trucks in different streets in Nellmapius and Mamelodi east and west to prevent possible violence by former waste-management contractors.
The collection was made on the back of chaos that erupted at the City’s customer care walk-in centre in Mamelodi west two weeks ago when some people believed to be former contractors stormed the building, threatened personnel and threw a petrol bomb into one of the offices.
Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the worst intimidation was experienced in Bronkhorstspruit, Mamelodi, and Atteridgeville since the implementation of the new contract.
City manager Johann Mettler vowed that the metro won’t give in to the demands of the former service providers and their workers.
He said: “We will not capitulate to the threats by some of the previous service providers who did not meet the new requirements. We have now identified the instigators and will act against them. We will continue with the deployment of law enforcement officers along the identified routes, and at landfill sites to thwart their planned criminal activities.”
At least 60% of the previous waste contractors have not made it back onto the new tender owing to the stringent specifications aimed at improving efficiency.
In terms of the specifications, trucks must not be older than nine years, all waste-removal trucks must be fitted with tracking devices, and have valid e-Natis documents.
Bokaba said: “The vehicle should not be older than nine years to prevent the frequent breakdown of an old vehicle, and to minimise the wear and tear of the compaction mechanism.The specification is also applicable to the sub-contractors.”
Pretoria News