Refuse removal interruptions ‘politically motivated‚ says Joburg mayor

Refuse removal Interruptions ‘politically motivated‚ says Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba.

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba says interruptions to the city’s refuse removal services over the past two weeks have been “politically motivated”.

Mashaba said in a statement on Wednesday that politically-motivated protests had taken place outside Pikitup depots in the Soweto‚ Midrand‚ Diepsloot and Ivory Park areas over the past two weeks‚ and that these protests were in response to the city’s insourcing of contract workers for Pikitup. “We have received intelligence from individuals that former temporary contract workers are being approached by political forces in an effort to instigate instability within the City’s cleaning services‚” Mashaba said.

Mashaba said when the decision to insource contract workers was announced‚ it was clear that the city could only insource a defined number of people and that clear criteria were agreed to on the matter through engagements with key stakeholders in the organised labour and contract worker spaces.

Mashaba said the city was “sympathetic” to the 900‚000 unemployed people in Johannesburg‚ and that it was a human tragedy‚ but that the reality was that government could not be an employer for all those without work.

“For political forces to exploit this tragic situation for their narrow political ends is sinking to new depths of moral bankruptcy‚” Mashaba said. He added that the city had started an investigation which “will lead to the imminent arrests of the organisers of these protests”‚ after Pikitup obtained a court order prohibiting any further interruptions at their premises or of its operations.

“I caution those individuals who have partaken in these protests not to be used by a political party for their narrow political benefit. This same political party will not assist you when arrests are affected in future disruptions. Our investigation will not stop at those participating in these disruptions‚ but will ensure that those politically driving these disruptions face the full might of the law‚” Mashaba said.

Meanwhile Pikitup announced on Wednesday that a joint operations team (JOT) had been established in order to ensure uninterrupted service delivery. The team is composed of the SA Police Service‚ the Johannesburg Metro Police‚ the Red Ants and Pikitup.

The entitity said this followed an incident on Monday where a Pikitup official “was assaulted and doused with petrol while trying to the address the jobseekers”.

Pikitup said employees were yet again prevented from servicing some parts of the city on Wednesday as a result of the ongoing protest demonstrations outside some depots. The depots affected on Monday were Zondi‚ Central Camp‚ Selby‚ Waterval‚ Midrand and Avalon.

“The disruptions to Pikitup services follows demands made by job seekers who want to be forcefully insourced by the waste management entity of the City.

“The service disruptions have been going on since July 2018 to date. The actions of the protestors have culminated into a march that is expected to take place today‚ with the intention to shut down the City of Johannesburg including Pikitup services.

“The protesters are expected to march to the Mayor’s office to voice their complaints against the insourcing project.

“They are demanding that Pikitup give them permanent employment regardless of the resources and capacity available‚” Pikitup said.

“These protesters have in the recent past weeks stoned Pikitup and Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) trucks‚ petrol bombed and caused serious damage to Pikitup’s Central Camp depots and intimidated City employees."

"All these acts of criminality are aimed to bring waste management services to a halt targeting Pikitup‚ now that the insourcing process for both 2010 absorption and Jozi@work insourcing process is being finalised with a combined employment of 1‚432 qualifying beneficiaries‚” Pikitup added.

- BusinessLIVE