Randburg residents frustrated as Pikitup refuse delays stretch into weeks

Residents in parts of Randburg have been left with mounting piles of rubbish after refuse collection delays stretched to nearly two weeks, raising concerns about public health, security and the reliability of municipal services.

Some households have reportedly gone 13 days without refuse collection, leaving bins overflowing and waste accumulating along residential streets, eNCA has reported.

City of Johannesburg waste management entity Pikitup acknowledged the disruption earlier this week, attributing the delays to reduced operational capacity.

“Reduced operational capacity resulted in some scheduled collections being delayed, leaving waste uncollected in certain areas,” the entity said.

However, residents say the problems are recurring and that repeated assurances of improved services have failed to produce lasting results.

One resident told eNCA that the situation was “absolutely atrocious”, questioning why households continued paying for refuse collection when the service was not being delivered.

The resident raised particular concerns about the accumulation of rubbish near Rand Park Primary School and a nearby high school attended by approximately 2,500 pupils.

According to the resident, about 50 uncollected dustbins had been left outside the primary school.

Residents have also warned that waste containing used nappies and other household refuse could attract insects and create unhygienic conditions.

There are additional security concerns, with residents fearing that bins left outside properties for extended periods could be used by criminals to climb over boundary walls and fences.

Ward 98 councillor Beverly Jacobs said the latest disruption reflected longstanding service delivery problems in Johannesburg.

She said some residents had experienced delays exceeding two weeks, while broader refuse collection problems had persisted for approximately two years.

Jacobs attributed the recurring failures to poor governance, financial pressures facing the municipality and inadequate communication between the city and Pikitup.

She said residents continued paying for basic municipal services despite repeated disruptions.

According to Jacobs, petitions submitted to the municipality and the Public Protector had failed to produce satisfactory results.

Pikitup has undertaken to restore normal operations, but residents are demanding a sustainable solution rather than another temporary intervention.

The latest disruptions have renewed concerns about Johannesburg’s ability to maintain essential municipal services, particularly as prolonged refuse collection failures create growing health and safety risks for affected communities.

Sources: eNCA, October 2026; Pikitup statement, October 2026; Ward 98 councillor Beverly Jacobs.