Durban — While refuse collection has resumed in most parts of Durban following the illegal strike by eThekwini municipal workers, residents in various parts of the city say they have had enough of the lack of service delivery.
Many were forced to find alternate means to discard their household rubbish which had not been collected for almost three weeks.
Terri McLarty of the uMhlanga Ratepayers Association said that the community was simply fed up.
"Some residents had to pay independent waste collectors and due to the cost of this some could not.
“Most residents are planning to withhold payments for municipality waste collection due to this. It’s been a serious situation.
“The strike ended on Wednesday but still nothing has happened because I’ve heard employees that went back to work are being threatened. We’ve had enough," said McLarty.
Ish Prahladh, president of the eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association, said the strike had a devastating impact on residents.
“There is dirt all over. There is an infestation of rodents plus vagrants are digging into bin packets and making a bigger mess. We have been fighting this battle for a long time. The municipality heads and staff are to be blamed for this,” said Prahladh.
Chairperson of the Westville Ratepayers Association, Asad Gaffer, said it has been a trying time for residents.
“Waste has not been collected for over three weeks. The clean-up process is only starting now and there is still a major backlog. It will probably take the municipality another week or two to get back to normal,” he said.
The Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association said that despite assurances from the mayor that municipal services have resumed, residents were experiencing only sporadic waste collection. There has been no substantial attempt to clear the accumulated refuse dumped. The dump site has remained closed.”
Communications spokesperson for the Verulam Water Crisis Committee Roshan Lil-Ruthan said that with waste not being collected it added to their ongoing water crisis woes.
“Private contractors have been assisting and they were hired by the business forum and private businesses. eThekwini has not shown its face in the community to do a clean up,” Lil-Ruthan said.
Sunday Tribune