By 
Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) has refuted claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the metro that waste has not been collected since the festive season, posing a health risk to communities.
According to the DA, in many wards, refuse has not been collected for weeks, with rubbish piling up in front of residents’ yards, creating serious health and environmental risks.
DA Councillor in Mangaung Dirk Kotze says an urgent email sent to the Executive Mayor on 13 January requesting urgent action has yet to receive a reply. This contrasts with the mayor’s recent public events, including the welcome of the Chinese Consul General at Sediti Secondary School for an ICT equipment handover. While these efforts are essential, residents expect the same urgency in resolving the refuse collection crisis affecting public health.
“The backlog has been attributed to overtime disputes, diesel shortages, and the continuous breakdown of refuse collection trucks. Residents are paying the price for poor planning, weak fleet management, and operational instability within the Department of Solid Waste.
It is particularly troubling that while large parts of Mangaung continue to experience uncollected refuse, the MMC for Community Services, Cllr Alfred Qai, led a clean-up campaign in Batho on Friday, 15 January, as part of the “Mangaung Letsema – Greening the Heart of Our City” programme, launched at Heroes Park in Batho,” said Kotze.
“The government has recognised the severity of the crisis. In August 2025, Deputy President Paul Mashatile launched the “Clean Cities and Towns Campaign” in Mangaung. Despite this, service delivery continues to decline. The campaign launch cost R56,870 for catering and R54,014.52 for other expenses of taxpayers’ money.
While environmental initiatives are welcomed, they cannot be prioritised above the delivery of basic services, as residents in other suburbs were sitting with refuse piling up outside their homes.
Reports that a refuse truck broke down during this period raise questions about whether it was diverted to the Batho campaign rather than servicing areas with critical backlogs. If true, this reflects flawed resource allocation,” he continued.
The Acting General Communications Manager for the City Nicolette Maysiels, dismissed the claims as incorrect, she says the Municipality is actively implementing waste collection schedule and recycling initiatives, including practical programmes undertaken in partnership with their Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) Programme.
She said collected waste is being utilised for recycling purposes, including the conversion of organic waste (vegetables and fruit) into liquid and dry compost.
Furthermore, the Municipality has entered into partnerships with local enterprises involved in converting plastic waste into paving products. Maysiels says these initiatives have resulted in increased demand for recyclable waste materials, which forms part of a broader circular economy strategy.
“There is no delay in refuse collection. Waste collection is conducted in accordance with a structured weekly schedule, rather than daily collections per ward. These schedules are regularly communicated via local radio platforms and are further shared with ward councillors, who disseminate the information through ward communication channels. This coordinated approach ensures predictability and transparency in service delivery.
At present, the Municipality is not experiencing systemic operational challenges affecting waste collection services. Should you be aware of any specific issues or incidents, we would welcome such information so that it can be investigated and addressed appropriately,” said Nicolette Maysiels.
Maysiels further affirmed that waste management services across wards are operating normally. She said the Municipality is intensifying its cleaning programmes with the support of community-based initiatives, alongside sustained education and awareness campaigns.
The Acting Spokesperson says the efforts aim to promote waste separation at source and to reinforce the understanding that waste management is a critical economic and environmental opportunity for Mangaung.
“The practice of indiscriminate or time-bound dumping of waste reflects out-dated perceptions. The Municipality is actively encouraging residents to adopt a more informed and forward-looking approach to waste management, recognising waste as a future investment that can drive job creation, sustainability, and economic development.
The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality remains committed to delivering efficient waste management services while advancing innovative, sustainable solutions that benefit our communities and the local economy,” said Nicolette Maysiels.
