The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Johannesburg is deeply concerned by the continued deterioration of services at Pikitup, which has now spiralled completely out of control.
English soundbite here and letter to Joburg City Manager here
Ongoing industrial action by casual employees has resulted in waste collection trucks being blockaded from leaving depots. As a result, refuse is not being collected, leaving Johannesburg, ’s as a the so-called “world-class city”, engulfed in filth. Desperate residents are increasingly forced to resort to illegal dumping, further worsening environmental and public health risks across the City.
This crisis is compounded by the closure of landfill sites. Two of the City’s four active landfill sites are currently closed due to the failure of the ANC-EFF-PA-led administration to pay service providers, bringing waste management operations to the brink of collapse.
Long-term challenges further exacerbate the situation. Half or more of Johannesburg’s landfill sites are already full or permanently closed, and there are ongoing delays in formalising and integrating informal waste reclaimers — despite the fact that they divert up to 90% of recyclables and play a critical role in sustaining waste management capacity.
Despite the severity of this unfolding disaster, the ANC-EFF-PA coalition has remained silent. There has been no meaningful communication from Mayor Dada Morero or the responsible MMC, Jack Sekwaila, even as conditions in the City continue to deteriorate.
Residents of Johannesburg should not be subjected to unsafe and inhumane living conditions as a result of incompetence, poor governance, and a lack of political will.
The ANC-EFF-PA coalition administration must urgently:
- Prioritise negotiations to end disruptions and ensure stable, continuous waste collection services;
- Reopen closed landfill sites or urgently secure alternative disposal capacity before the City runs out of space entirely;
- Protect and support waste reclaimers by meaningfully integrating them into formal waste management plans; and
- Communicate transparently with residents about the steps being taken to resolve this crisis.
Johannesburg residents should not be forced to live amid refuse, disease, and environmental hazards because of an administrative failure.
The DA demands immediate accountability and decisive action to safeguard public health, restore essential services, and protect the dignity of all residents