JOBURG GO-SLOW: Wildcat protests down six Pikitup depots, residents pay for own bin collection
Wildcat strikes and protests have brought six of Pikitup’s biggest depots to a standstill, leaving rubbish uncollected across large parts of Johannesburg. Frustrated residents and businesses are paying private contractors to remove waste while the city’s refuse collection service grinds to a halt.
Wildcat strikes and protests have halted six of Pikitup’s major depots in Johannesburg, leaving residents to bear the cost of bin collection while the city's refuse service grinds to a halt. The depots affected are Randburg, Waterval, Roodepoort, Avalon, Orange Farm, and Marlboro, with residents paying private contractors R69 per bin for removal.
Casual workers who expected jobs and Pikitup employees on go-slows or wildcat strikes are to blame, with the city facing severe financial distress and refusing to pay the agreed salary adjustment under the politically facilitated agreement (PFA). The PFA, costing R10.3-billion, was signed to prevent strikes during the 2025 G20 summit, but the city cannot afford it now.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
