Pikitup temporary workers are striking to be made permanent, claiming they earn as little as R120 per day while cleaning Johannesburg’s streets.
A strike by hundreds of temporary workers has halted waste collection in the city. The strike started last week following claims of unfair human resource practices at Pikitup.
Protesters have since blocked depot entrances, preventing trucks from dumping waste. One of the workers on strike Liso Mtshiyo says workers are demanding to be permanently employed.
“We are upset because Pikitup has decided to publicly advertise the jobs we have been doing as contractors. Many of us have worked for more than three months, only to have the jobs advertised afterwards. Why should we work for labor brokers for such a long time? Since October, we’ve been working for R120 to R150 a day. We are looking for stable employment, a better future, and, of course, we want to see Johannesburg clean. We have heard that counselors and shop stewards are hiring their own relatives. We just want permanent jobs.”
