Ekurhuleni - The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has established a multi-departmental task team to look at interventions to clean up Tembisa as the waste collection strike continues.
Employees of the Tembisa Community Based Waste Collection, which are not employed by the municipality, have been on strike since 17 August. They are demanding bonuses, leave pay and the payment of provident fund contributions.
Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Ntombi Mekgwe, Members of the Mayoral Committee for Environmental Development and Economic Development will be consulting with various role-players on what interventions can be made.
Metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said they hoped to find a speedy solution to the situation that has seen solid waste removal in the informal settlement in the east of Johannesburg take a knock.
"The involvement of the mayor and other leaders is a clear indication that the metro is concerned about the situation in Tembisa and wants the situation to be effectively dealt with and addressed with the urgency it deserves," said Dlamini.
At the weekend, the municipality tackled illegal dumping sites and is this week picking up litter and cleaning streets.
The municipality earlier employed the services of independent contractors to carry out door-to-door waste removal services, to ensure continues to receive services.
Dlamini said they were working under difficult conditions as service providers were continuously being threatened, intimidated and sometimes even assaulted. As a result, the municipality acquired the services of the Red Ants for security reasons.
