Alexandra waste crisis: councillor warns there is no quick fix as targeted clean‑up begins

City councillors and officials have launched a targeted clean-up in Alexandra as uncollected refuse continued to pile up after weeks of service disruption, but Ward 116 councillor Adolph Marema warned the problem will not be solved overnight.

Targeted ward-by-ward response

Marema, who is the chair of chairs in the City of Johannesburg and Ward 116 councillor, joined fellow councillors and city officials on 5 August for a clean-up initiative in Alexandra as part of the Pikitup Recovery Clean-up drive. He urged a targeted, ward-by-ward approach that concentrates resources on the worst dumping hotspots rather than spreading them thinly across the community.

“There is that space in every ward where it is now unbearable, stinking, and we are on the verge of getting sick. Councillors know where that place is in their ward; these trucks, if they can concentrate there,” he said. “If we can get one truck, if at all, even a bobcat. Every ward must have some sense of areas being cleared.”

Hotspots and practical steps

Region E director Makgafela Thaba said the clean-up focused on the areas hit hardest by illegal dumping and prioritised sites carrying the heaviest volumes of refuse. Among the worst-affected sites named in reporting were Vincent Tshabalala Road and Lenin Drive.

Thaba asked residents who use informal dumping points to bag their waste before disposal to make collection easier. He said:

“Those using the traffic island on London should not just dump it as it is; they should try by all means to bag it so that when we come through, we can collect it properly.”

Why collections faltered and how the city is responding

The clean-up drive follows operational disruptions at Pikitup depots tied to protest action. On 3 August Pikitup confirmed that casual workers employed through contracted waste collection service providers had blockaded entrances to several depots, including Marlboro, demanding to be permanently employed by the entity. Pikitup said the action had crippled trucks’ and permanent staff’s ability to collect waste and that it was engaging affected service providers, stakeholders and law enforcement to restore normal operations.

The city has brought in independent service providers to help plug gaps in collection while Pikitup addresses its operational issues. The city’s deputy mayor and MMC for finance, Loyiso Masuku, confirmed the city manager and his team are working with Pikitup to resolve the challenges.

Photos and on-the-ground work

Reporting included images of private waste collection crews and workers clearing waste along Vincent Tshabalala Road as part of the targeted operation.

About the reporting

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