Residue of Pikitup strike still felt in Alex
ALEXANDRA – Alex will feel effects of Pikitup's strike for sometime.
Alex residents are still feeling the effects of the recently ended month-long strike by Joburg City Council’s Pikitup employees.
This as talks are said to be in progress to work out the terms of agreement to resolve salary and management disputes which resulted in the trashing of the streets, threats to anyone attempting to clean their areas, a health risk and untenable stench from the accumulated and decaying rubbish.
The strike’s end enabled the waste management entity and privately-hired companies to scale up the cleaning effort which, it appears, will take some time to complete, given the mounds of rubbish at designated and illegal dumping sites. The stench on Alex streets has somewhat subsided and fewer rubbish piles now remain on the streets.
Council has announced it will work double day and night shifts to clear the backlog by month end through refuse collection, street sweeping, picking up litter and clearing illegally dumped sites.
Shortly before the strike ended, the public’s attempt to rid their areas of the rubbish and stench almost led to the loss of lives of some terminally and chronically ill patients at the Alexandra Hospice and Rehabilitation Centre who rely on oxygen for survival. This was after a power failure to the centre reported in Alex News, Strike endangers patients, week ending 15 April. The power loss was after residents burnt rubbish which had covered the centre’s electricity box. The power has now been fully restored by City Power.
Tebogo Mahoa, of the centre, said council cleared the area and the power utility replaced the electricity box. Mahoa was, however, concerned that the community has started to again dump next to the box which may cause water from the rubbish to trip the power. “The box should be protected against vandals and the councillor should advise the community to dump at designated sites,” she said.
Meanwhile, City council has advised that all complaints on refuse collection, related queries and suggestions be directed to the 24-hour hotline, 011 286 6009 or the JRA Find & Fix app which can be downloaded to cellphones for free from the Google Play Store.
Details: Jacky Mashapu 079 506 0568.
