The City of Johannesburg said Pikitup workers had managed to collect all the rubbish that was piling up in Alexandra following service-delivery protests which had prevented them from entering the northern Johannesburg township.

“The City of Johannesburg’s waste management entity, Pikitup, has successfully cleared all waste removal backlogs in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, after this service could not be rendered during the recent service delivery protests in the area,” the city said in a statement on Thursday. 

“Pikitup services could not be rendered fully in Alexandra from April 3 2019 to April 5 2019 due to safety concerns for employees and Pikitup’s already fragile assets. This resulted in heaps of illegal dumping sites spreading across the area. Therefore, Pikitup’s plan to clear the backlog was set in motion from April 6 2019 and the plan entailed deploying additional human resources as well as extra waste removal equipment."

According to the city, 212 workers were usually deployed to collect waste in Alexandra. It said it had deployed an additional 121 to assist with the backlog.

More waste-removal trucks had also been sent to the area.

“Pikitup will continue to service the area seven days a week and waste collection services are back to normal in Alexandra. The City will continue to run a responsive and pro-poor government, and continue to do all we can to ensure that change is brought to our communities,” the city said.