Service delivery in Randburg has been affected by refuse collector Pikitup’s casual workers’ demand for permanent positions.
Workers shut down services from last week, blocking the depot gate with waste and barring trucks from leaving.
Protest
Ward 98 councillor in Randburg, Beverly Jacobs, went to the Pikitup site on Wednesday to assess the situation.
WATCH: What Jacobs found
“The situation remains unchanged, with the exception that the pile of rubbish in front of the gates has increased significantly overnight. The refuse trucks remain inside the depot.
“There are no permanent Pikitup employees present at the moment, which indicates they are not participating in the current action. Approximately 20–25 casual workers are on site,” Jacobs said.
According to Jacobs, the casual workers have expressed their demands.
“Their grievances relate primarily to permanent employment, and allegations of nepotism in recruitment, specifically that family members are given priority over longer-standing workers.”
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Clarity
Jacobs wrote to the Pikitup Managing Director and Executive team on 17 January 2026, requesting clarity on operations and mitigation plans for Ward 98 and the surrounding areas. A follow-up was sent on Monday, 19 January 2026.
This lack of engagement has necessitated on-site oversight. I will continue to follow up directly with the entity and executive team to determine the progress of negotiations and operational recovery,” Jacobs said.
The Citizen has contacted Pikitup for comment. This will be added to the story once received.
Joburg regressing
Meanwhile, two months after the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has admitted that the inner city is regressing.
This comes after a person posted a video on X showing the poor state of the Joburg CBD since November, when South Africa hosted world leaders at the first G20 summit on African soil.
When The Citizen spoke to Morero at the G20 Leaders Summit in November, he was adamant that the City of Johannesburg would continue to keep the streets clean after the world leaders left South Africa.
Morero launched a “high impact” programme to address service delivery challenges in parts of the city. But questions have been raised about the effectiveness of these programmes.
ALSO READ: Watch: Pikitup workers collect rubbish under guard as ‘some arrests’ are made
