Trash Piles Up on Joburg Streets Amid Casual Workers’ Strike

Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has raised concerns about the growing piles of waste in both streets and residential neighborhoods across the city.

On Tuesday, 7 July 2026, DA Councillor Matsobane Sekhu, acting as the party’s spokesperson for Pikitup, commented: “Last week, the City faced yet another strike by casual workers demanding permanent employment.

“This latest industrial action disrupted refuse collection throughout Johannesburg, forcing residents to deal with the consequences of an administration seemingly caught in a cycle of crisis.”

Sekhu also pointed out that the City of Joburg is falling behind in making timely payments to contractors, which he claimed “results in fewer refuse trucks being available and larger backlogs in waste collection.”

He stressed that Pikitup is already facing serious operational hurdles.

The closure of landfill sites has increased the distances that refuse collection vehicles must travel, limiting their daily collection routes and worsening service backlogs.

“This situation has become both repetitive and disruptive,” noted Sekhu, the DA spokesperson for Pikitup.

Sekhu pointed out that rather than seeking sustainable solutions, the City of Joburg often allows problems to escalate until significant disruptions occur.

The DA has called upon Executive Mayor Dada Morero and the MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services to:

• Provide a clear rationale for why contractors are facing delays in payments.
• Present a comprehensive and transparent plan to address Pikitup’s operational challenges, including landfill capacity issues and financial management.
• Publicly outline the long-term strategies being implemented to prevent residents of Johannesburg from enduring recurrent waste collection crises.