A R23.5-million fleet of waste removal trucks has stood idle in a Buffalo City Metro (BCM) backyard since December while metro residents cry foul over piles of rotting, uncollected waste.
The waste management department, which falls under the leaderless department of community services, has come in for sharp criticism from business, ratepayers, opposition parties and the auditor-general.
Yesterday, BCM admitted that eight brand-new Mercedes-Benz refuse removal trucks worth R2-million each, plus a R7.6-million street sweeper vehicle, are parked in limbo because of slow administration.
Metro spokesman Keith Ngesi said they were delivered towards the end of last year. “The trucks are awaiting the installation of a fleet management system and the training of drivers is under way.
“They are expected to be functioning by the end of next week.”
BCM had been waiting to receive papers for the trucks, which have now arrived. The fleet falls under the authority of the engineering services department, which will hand over to the community services department and its subsidiary, the waste management unit, when training is completed and the fleet management system installed, Ngesi said.
But residents of some of the most lucrative rates-generating areas of the metro are angry.
Trafalgar Properties manager Marelize Slabbert said that more than 12200 bags of trash were not collected for three weeks from 218 units at four complexes in Baysville, Stirling, Nahoon and Abbotsford.
“Our clients are furious. They feel they are paying for a service they do not get. When we phone BCM’s waste management we either get told that a truck will be sent or that there are no trucks.”
Rotting trash was attracting vagrants and stray dogs and cats who rummaged through the trash “leaving an even bigger mess. There are maggots and flies.”
Some tenants were threatening to move out.
Carla May, a resident at Furstenburg Terrace in Stirling, said the stench was unbearable on hot days.
“How difficult can it be to get trucks to collect rubbish? That is what they are there for is it not? And for three weeks? It’s just unacceptable,” said May.
In a sudden flurry of activity yesterday, Slabbert reported that BCM trucks arrived for the first time in three weeks and removed all 12 200-odd bags. The trucks started appearing at 10am, 90 minutes after the Dispatch sent a query to Ngesi.
BCM resident Roelf Berg, who spotted the trucks while at the traffic offices in Braelyn in mid-January, said: “How long will we wait for these vehicles to be brought into operation? There is no proper management in this waste management department. We pay for refuse collection. Who is eating this money?”
Border-Kei Chamber of Business director Les Holbrook said the chamber had been lamenting the lack of leadership in the community services directorate for two years.
Holbrook said as long as as unqualified and inexperienced people were put in top posts the metro was “planning to fail, and a failing metro does not inspire investors”.
In December 2013, community services director Jerome Ismail was dismissed for poor performance and insubordination. Ismail claims he was ousted in a power struggle with metro manager Andile Fani.
Buffalo City Ratepayers’ Forum chairman Andre Swart said BCM’s “entire service delivery is in a downward spiral”.
DA BCM caucus spokesman Lance Weyer said: “These departments are like rudderless ships.”
PAC councillor Jerome Mdyolo said a team effort was needed to fix the waste unit.
The auditor-general also targeted BCM’s solid waste department, saying it hit its performance targets only 40% of the time. Writing in December, the AG reported: “This was due to a lack of understanding of the performance management system”.
Weyer said: “This means that the department is incompetent. They are employing people who don't know how to do their jobs.”
But Ngesi defended the community services directorate.
“Things are turning around now. The HOD post has been advertised and is likely to be filled within this financial year.
“The directorate did fairly well in expenditure and performance compared to the previous financial year.” — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
R23m waste fleet in limbo
The waste management department, which falls under the leaderless department of community services, has come in for sharp criticism from business, ratepayers, opposition parties and the auditor-general.
Yesterday, BCM admitted that eight brand-new Mercedes-Benz refuse removal trucks worth R2-million each, plus a R7.6-million street sweeper vehicle, are parked in limbo because of slow administration.
Metro spokesman Keith Ngesi said they were delivered towards the end of last year. “The trucks are awaiting the installation of a fleet management system and the training of drivers is under way.
“They are expected to be functioning by the end of next week.”
BCM had been waiting to receive papers for the trucks, which have now arrived. The fleet falls under the authority of the engineering services department, which will hand over to the community services department and its subsidiary, the waste management unit, when training is completed and the fleet management system installed, Ngesi said.
But residents of some of the most lucrative rates-generating areas of the metro are angry.
Trafalgar Properties manager Marelize Slabbert said that more than 12200 bags of trash were not collected for three weeks from 218 units at four complexes in Baysville, Stirling, Nahoon and Abbotsford.
“Our clients are furious. They feel they are paying for a service they do not get. When we phone BCM’s waste management we either get told that a truck will be sent or that there are no trucks.”
Rotting trash was attracting vagrants and stray dogs and cats who rummaged through the trash “leaving an even bigger mess. There are maggots and flies.”
Some tenants were threatening to move out.
Carla May, a resident at Furstenburg Terrace in Stirling, said the stench was unbearable on hot days.
“How difficult can it be to get trucks to collect rubbish? That is what they are there for is it not? And for three weeks? It’s just unacceptable,” said May.
In a sudden flurry of activity yesterday, Slabbert reported that BCM trucks arrived for the first time in three weeks and removed all 12 200-odd bags. The trucks started appearing at 10am, 90 minutes after the Dispatch sent a query to Ngesi.
BCM resident Roelf Berg, who spotted the trucks while at the traffic offices in Braelyn in mid-January, said: “How long will we wait for these vehicles to be brought into operation? There is no proper management in this waste management department. We pay for refuse collection. Who is eating this money?”
Border-Kei Chamber of Business director Les Holbrook said the chamber had been lamenting the lack of leadership in the community services directorate for two years.
Holbrook said as long as as unqualified and inexperienced people were put in top posts the metro was “planning to fail, and a failing metro does not inspire investors”.
In December 2013, community services director Jerome Ismail was dismissed for poor performance and insubordination. Ismail claims he was ousted in a power struggle with metro manager Andile Fani.
Buffalo City Ratepayers’ Forum chairman Andre Swart said BCM’s “entire service delivery is in a downward spiral”.
DA BCM caucus spokesman Lance Weyer said: “These departments are like rudderless ships.”
PAC councillor Jerome Mdyolo said a team effort was needed to fix the waste unit.
The auditor-general also targeted BCM’s solid waste department, saying it hit its performance targets only 40% of the time. Writing in December, the AG reported: “This was due to a lack of understanding of the performance management system”.
Weyer said: “This means that the department is incompetent. They are employing people who don't know how to do their jobs.”
But Ngesi defended the community services directorate.
“Things are turning around now. The HOD post has been advertised and is likely to be filled within this financial year.
“The directorate did fairly well in expenditure and performance compared to the previous financial year.” — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
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