A cleaner Joburg is a 24-7 operation essential to drive investment, instil pride

Food waste, hair from salons and disposable nappies are among the most common types of litter collected during Pikitup’s inner-city clean-up drives.

About 100 workers, including Pikitup employees, expanded public works programme participants and a few volunteers, took part in a clean-up on Wednesday as part of the Johannesburg metro’s weekly War on Waste campaign in the inner city.

Some residents have questioned whether the sudden increase in clean-up operations is merely an attempt to make the city look good before the upcoming G20 summit at Nasrec.

In response, Pikitup spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi said the campaign had been running long before the G20 summit was announced and was part of the city’s efforts to tackle waste and illegal dumping.

“We’ve been cleaning long before the G20, under various names such as Klina Joburg,” Mkhwanazi said.

“When visitors come to your house, you clean it to make sure they have a good impression, but beyond that, it’s our responsibility to keep Johannesburg clean.”

Mkhwanazi said the campaign addresses the challenges of waste management in densely populated areas, including where informal traders often lack access to garbage bins.

0 of 11

In 2023, the city said bins in the inner city fill up every hour due to population density, requiring Pikitup to carry out waste removal continuously, with a 24-hour waste collection schedule.

Mkhwanazi said the Weekly War on Waste is a collaborative effort between Pikitup, the Johannesburg metro police and other municipal departments. The aim is to raise awareness about responsible waste disposal and encourage residents and businesses to take ownership of their surroundings.

“The cleaning is an ongoing process because of the enormity of waste in the inner city. People continue to throw waste anywhere. It’s also about law enforcement and teaching people that littering and illegal dumping are offences.”

The clean-up campaigns have a long-term purpose.

“A clean city can attract investment and create jobs. Who wants to invest in a dirty place?”

He urged residents to take pride in their environment.

“We are mandated to clean the city, but residents must also take responsibility. It’s not just about rights; keeping our environment clean is a communal responsibility.”

Mkhwanazi said the city has been working with some community co-operatives to convert illegal dumping sites into food gardens and usable public spaces.

TimesLIVE