Pikitup workers start to clear areas affected by rubbish backlog

Waste company Pikitup has started to clean and clear areas in Johannesburg that were heavily affected by a rubbish collection backlog.

"Processes [were] in place to see how we could absorb some of these contract workers into Pikitup. The processes took too long, and their contracts ended. So we had to use limited staff to clean in certain areas," spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi said.

Mkhwanazi added that there were "unacceptable" levels of waste were in parts and sections of Alexandra, Hillbrow, Joubert Park, Doornfontein and Mayfair.

He said contract workers started cleaning and clearing the areas from around 20:00 on Tuesday.

"There has never been a time where Pikitup services were discontinued in the affected areas," he said.