Garbage Piles Up as Gauteng’s Refuse Collection System Breaks Down

Gauteng is sitting on a ticking time bomb as its waste collection and landfill infrastructure crumbles under years of neglect, underfunding, and poor fleet maintenance. The province now requires more than R1 billion to restore essential waste disposal services, and residents are already feeling the rot.

According to Cooperative Governance MEC Jacob Mamabolo, only a tiny fraction of municipal waste collection trucks are still operational in key metros like Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg. In a written reply to the Gauteng Legislature, Mamabolo detailed how the province’s 11 municipalities are struggling to cope with the ever-growing waste burden of over 15 million residents.

Fleet Failures Across the Board

The numbers are alarming. The City of Ekurhuleni has only 9 out of 102 refuse trucks currently operational—just under 9%. The City of Johannesburg, which generates 1.6 billion tons of trash annually, is also grappling with breakdowns, with 45 of its 124 trucks out of service.

Other municipalities paint a similar picture:

• Midvaal: Only 3 of 9 trucks were running between January and March.

• Lesedi: 5 of 9 trucks operational.

• Emfuleni: 34 trucks broken down, 29 at the end of life.

• Mogale City and Rand West City: Rely on leased vehicles.

• Tshwane: Uses an external contractor and withheld fleet details.

Despite these setbacks, some municipalities, including Tshwane and Midvaal, claimed they had no backlog in refuse collection services. However, Emfuleni admitted to an 84% backlog, the highest in the province.

Costly Contracts and Missed Opportunities

The Democratic Alliance (DA) slammed municipalities for depending on external contractors while existing government-owned trucks remain unrepaired. DA COGTA spokesperson Khathutshelo Rasilingwane argued that local governments should be fixing idle trucks and using internal staff to manage collections without ballooning costs.

In Johannesburg, fixing the 45 broken trucks would cost just R900,000, a fraction compared to outsourcing daily services. Meanwhile, Ekurhuleni has set aside R26.2 million for repairs and awaits 10 new trucks by June.

Landfills Near Breaking Point

While trucks sit idle, landfill capacity across Gauteng is rapidly dwindling. Johannesburg alone needs R835 million to rehabilitate existing sites but has no budget allocation for this purpose. Emfuleni requires R200 million to refurbish two long-neglected sites.

Several municipalities are also battling to close or rehabilitate disused dumping sites in line with environmental regulations. Mogale City’s Luipaardsvlei landfill has already exceeded capacity, while Tshwane and Lesedi are spending R13.8 million on environmental authorisations for site closures.

What’s Next for Gauteng?

As waste continues to pile up and landfill sites reach capacity, the need for a long-term, funded waste management strategy in Gauteng becomes more urgent than ever. Without bold political will and proper infrastructure investment, the province risks a sanitation crisis that could impact public health, the environment, and basic dignity.

{Source: The Citizen}

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