Refuse piles up in Parkmore, Johannesburg, following a missed collection, on July 29 2026. Picture: Refilwe Kholomonyane (Refilwe Kholomonyane)
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A scheduled meeting between Pikitup and more than 300 casual workers was postponed at the eleventh hour on Wednesday after the City of Johannesburg’s waste management provider said it had reached an agreement with the workers, who are threatening to strike if they are not given permanent employment.
This comes as Pikitup seeks a court order interdicting the casual workers from disrupting operations at its 12 depots across Joburg’s seven regions.
“The agreement has been reached, but it is not for public consumption at the moment,” Pikitup spokesperson Anthony Selepe told Business Day.
“Yes, we are very close to signing a deal,” said Themba Magoda, leader of the casual workers. The meeting will now take place on Thursday.
According to extracts of minutes of a meeting between city officials, Pikitup and ad hoc casual worker representatives, dated August 6, which Business Day has seen, it was noted that subject to operational requirements, affordability, funded vacancies and the necessary approvals, “Pikitup may consider the phased recruitment of qualifying casual workers against suitable vacancies arising through natural attrition, including resignations and retirements”.
Meanwhile, in court papers seen by Business Day, Pikitup seeks an order interdicting the casual workers from “unlawfully disrupting or calling for the disruption of operations” at Pikitup’s depots including Norwood, Southdale, Orange Farm, Avalon, Roodepoort, Zondi, Marlboro, Midrand, Waterval, Central camp, Randburg and Selby.
Pikitup also wants the casual workers to be interdicted from intimidating, threatening, assaulting or attempting to assault any person entering, leaving or lawfully present at the depots; damaging or inciting damage to Pikitup’s property, vehicles; and barricading depot entrances, exits or access routes.
This as the 316 casual workers had threatened to resume their strike last week Thursday, which led to piles of uncollected rubbish across swathes of the city last week.
The casual workers, who are employed by Pikitup service providers, have been protesting for weeks, demanding permanent employment contracts from the metro’s waste management entity.
They blocked entrances to the Marlboro, Waterval, Roodepoort, Randburg, Orange Farm and Avalon depots recently, preventing waste collection vehicles and city employees from carrying out scheduled services.
The workers’ demand has divided labour and economists, with some saying the metro is not legally obliged to hire them while others argue that the workers have a legal right to be employed.
Selepe previously said there is no money to recruit the casual workers and the city, which has a budget of R97.1bn for 2026/27, has frozen employment. He said even if the waste collection company wants to employ them, it is impossible due to the city’s financial constraints.
Joburg, South Africa’s biggest metro and financial and economic hub, has a moratorium in place regarding recruiting personnel.