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Pikitup issues final warning to Samwu workers

Johannesburg – Waste management company Pikitup has issued a final warning to South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) members who are participating in their unprotected strike on Wednesday evening.

Pikitup management said striking workers are required to report for duty in their respective depots at 08:00 on Thursday or they may be fired. On Tuesday, the company obtained an interim court order barring Samwu members from participating in their strike.

The company has also decided to temporarily suspend refuse collection from households and businesses across the Johannesburg until the situation is back to normal.

Pikitup spokesperson Jacky Mashapu said the situation was still very tense at all Pikitup’s depots. He said their decision to suspend collection of bins was in the interests of protecting non-striking workers.

Mashapu said the company also intends to issue contempt of court proceedings against Samwu and all its workers, should the situation persist.

"In the meantime, all law enforcement agencies have been informed to enforce the court order should Samwu and its members decides to defy the order issued by the Labour Court," Mashapu told News24.

This comes after Samwu workers clashed with police on Tuesday. Police used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd who had thrown stones at Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau. The strike continued today in Braamfontein.

The damage caused by workers during the strike is still evident across the streets of Braamfontein.

As a result, Tau said he would swop his suit for an overall on Thursday.

City of Johannesburg spokesperson Pansy Oyedele said Tau would lead the clean-up of Braamfontein, following the trail of damage left in the wake of the strike.

Tau will be joined by the mayoral committee, the Pikitup Board and the management team of Pikitup.

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