<\/p>\n
Garbage collection has been disrupted across many parts of Johannesburg after contract workers blocked access to six Pikitup depots.<\/p>\n
The protesting workers are demanding permanent employment, saying they have worked as contractors for years while earning far less than permanent staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll we are asking for is the same rights as full-time workers,\u201d said Funokwakha Ndobe, a contract worker at Pikitup\u2019s Marlboro depot in Johannesburg.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have been promising us jobs for seven years, and we are tired of these promises. That is why we are protesting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Listen\/read:
Joburg\u2019s cash crisis threatens essential services
Mr Mayor, in what city do you live?<\/p>\n
Contract workers have blocked access to several Pikitup depots, bringing refuse collection to a standstill in large parts of the city.<\/p>\n
The disruption, entering its second month, is affecting depots servicing parts of Alexandra, Sandton, Randburg, Fourways, Bryanston, Roodepoort, Northcliff, Melville, Auckland Park, Soweto, Orange Farm and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
Pikitup spokesperson Anthony Selepe said permanent Pikitup employees are not on strike. But the blockades have prevented vehicles and permanent employees from leaving the depots to provide scheduled services, he said.<\/p>\n
Promise of permanent jobs<\/p>\n
The protesters say they will not leave until they are permanently employed by Pikitup instead of working through labour brokers and contractors.<\/p>\n
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They say they have repeatedly been promised permanent jobs only for recruitment processes to be delayed or abandoned.<\/p>\n
Workers GroundUp spoke to say they earn about R4 000 a month while performing the same physically demanding work as permanent employees, who earn up to five times this with benefits such as medical aid.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe job we\u2019re doing requires medical aid,\u201d said one worker at the Avalon depot, where 46 workers have organised independently of any union.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re tired,\u201d another worker said. \u201cWe won\u2019t open those gates until we receive the documents showing we\u2019re signing permanent contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Workers outside the gates to the Pikitup Avalon depot in the south of Johannesburg. Image: Ihsaan Haffejee\/GroundUp<\/p>\n
Ndobe said that casual employees have been seeking permanent jobs with benefits since 2019.<\/p>\n
He said workers have proposed being employed directly by Pikitup on a casual basis until permanent posts become available. He said many had not been paid this month.<\/p>\n
According to the workers we spoke to at various depots, Pikitup promised hundreds of casual workers permanent positions by late 2025.<\/p>\n
The appointments were then postponed until 15 January 2026 before being delayed again, triggering a wave of strikes later that month.<\/p>\n
At the time, Pikitup managing director Bukelwa Njingolo said general worker posts advertised in 2024 had to be readvertised after an internal audit and legal review identified \u201cflaws\u201d in the recruitment process.<\/p>\n
Pikitup has said that appointments must follow legal and internal recruitment processes. Workers say they have repeatedly had to apply for the same jobs.<\/p>\n
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Ndobe said workers completed interviews, vetting and medical examinations during the 2024 recruitment process, but were told later that the posts had \u201clapsed\u201d.<\/p>\n
Another undertaking that permanent appointments would be finalised by 1 July also failed to materialise, prompting the current strike action.<\/p>\n
Asked to comment, Selepe said hiring must follow due process and Pikitup must first meet all its financial obligations.<\/p>\n
Earlier disruptions<\/p>\n
The current disruption is the latest in a series of setbacks for Johannesburg\u2019s refuse collection service.<\/p>\n
Earlier disruptions caused by protest action and reduced landfill capacity slowed the turnaround time for refuse trucks.<\/p>\n
In July, refuse collection was disrupted when Pikitup failed to pay contracted truck operators, which meant that their employees in turn did not receive their wages.<\/p>\n
Read:<\/p>\n
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Over R1.3 billion was owed to contractors in July, Pikitup has said.<\/p>\n
Pikitup says it is working with law enforcement agencies to restore operations at the depots. But the protesting workers insist they will not end the blockade until they receive written confirmation of permanent employment.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2026 GroundUp. This article was first published here.<\/p>\n
#Joburg #garbage #collection #standstill #workers #block #Pikitup #depots<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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