The City of Johannesburg has experienced the misfortune of illegal and violent protests since July 26, 2018.
The protestors are demanding that Pikitup give them permanent employment regardless of the resources and capacity available.
The illegal protestors have stoned Pikitup and Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) trucks, petrol bombed and caused serious damage to Pikitup depots, intimidated City employees. The protesters are alleged to have doused petrol on senior Pikitup official at the most recent protest yesterday.
All these acts of criminality are aimed to bring essential service to a halt for their personal benefits. Regrettably, the residents of Joburg suffer the consequences of this selfish and criminal behaviour.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has teamed up with Pikitup to curb the continuation of the illegal strike. These are some of the actions JMPD has taken to address the issue in their efforts to protect City properties, vehicles and employees:
1. Intensified deployment of metro police to all Pikitup depots to maintain peace and order,
2. Provide police escort to Pikitup trucks and operation staff so they can resume refuse collection without been intimidated or harmed,
3. Criminal case has been opened with the South African Police Services to investigate and the imminent arrest of perpetrators.
In response to the matter, MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun said “whilst we respect the right of the public to protest, it is unacceptable that such protest is conducted in an unlawful and violent manner. JMPD has been given a directive that any criminal attempting to hold the City to ransom by disrupting service delivery will be arrested to face the full might of the law.”
A suspect has been arrested by JMPD for petrol bombing the facility at the Pikitup Central Camp depot and JMPD is working closely with SAPS to make further immediate arrests.
Providing developments on the matter, MMC for Infrastructure and Environment Services MMC Nico de Jager advised residents to dispose of their waste in Pikitup’s garden sites until the situation calms down “Pikitup will be able to deal with all the service backlogs once the situation is conducive for it to render services to the residents,” he said.
Cllr Michael Sun
City of Joburg
MMC for Public Safety
And
Cllr Nico de Jager
City of Joburg
MMC for Infrastructure and Environment Services
For media queries, contact:
Muzi Mkhwanazi
Spokesperson: Pikitup
Mobile: 071 312 7757
Email: muzimkhwanazi@pikitup.co.za
OR
Luyanda Longwe
Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC for Public Safety
Mobile: 061 496 0536
LuyandaLo@joburg.org.za
