The City of Johannesburg is struggling to deal with piles of filth that have recently become a common feature alongside streets in the city centre, Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville.

Yesterday, the city released its crime statistics which showed improvement in the fight against crime, but the filth in the streets remains a big challenge for Pikitup, a city entity responsible for keeping the streets clean.

Around lunch-time yesterday, most parts of Hillbrow had piles of garbage on most street corners, posing a serious health hazard. Informal traders in the area blamed Pikitup trucks for failing to collect the rubbish.

"I sell fruit every day. It is tough. As you [can] see, when the garbage is not picked up by the trucks, the customers do not buy my fruit. It is a sad story," said an informal trader.

In other busy areas of the city centre, including Bree and Jeppe streets, garbage bins were already full, forcing shopkeepers to resort to dumping the garbage next to the bins from early in the afternoon.

Pikitup spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi explained: "The challenge in these areas, for example in Bree Street, is that most shops and consumers litter and dump waste with each passing second.

"Since December 8, Pikitup has been struggling to keep the area clean due to shopping."

He added that there was a huge traffic volume in the inner city which makes it "almost impossible" for the Pikitup trucks to access the area during the day.

"For example, the whole of Bree Street, Plein Street, Noord Street and De Villiers Street are impossible for Pikitup trucks to access. Pikitup has requested the JMPD [Johannesburg Metro Police Department] to assist in this regard.

"However, street-sweeping services are being rendered."

Pikitup has a daily three-shift system which is operational 24 hours and seven days a week.

However, the company said there was a need for more staff to address the challenge of dumping on the streets.

"Pikitup has always maintained that it cannot keep the City of Johannesburg clean without the assistance of residents.

"The difficulties experienced in cleaning the above-mentioned areas also have to do with the attitude of residents towards responsible waste management," Mkhwanazi said.