RUBBISH RUCKUS
Cape Town mayor moves to suspend director following collapse of waste management
The executive director responsible for waste management in Cape Town will be placed on suspension in the coming days following the collapse of waste management in areas of the city.
There is a row between the City of Cape Town mayoral committee and some of the municipality’s senior administration, with bribery allegations, following the collapse of waste collection in the townships.
Daily Maverick can reveal that a special closed council meeting was called on Monday morning where mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis tabled a motion to place the executive director: urban waste management, Luzuko Mdunyelwa, on suspension.
This has been approved by the council but councillors who were present said they could not comment because it was a confidential meeting.
During the meeting, Hill-Lewis confirmed that contractors were hired to clean the filthy townships across Cape Town, at a cost of about R500-million. Contracts started in July 2021 until June 2023 and were running month to month. However, rubbish continued to pile up in and around the Mother City. The city has also had to send in its own staff to carry out the cleaning in areas where contractors were hired to do the job.
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis in Cape Town on 23 August 2022. (Photo: Gallo Images / ER Lombard)
The municipality had received 18,902 complaints, 38% of which were from areas being serviced by contractors between July 2021 and June 2023.
Extortion rackets in some communities compound this, leading contractors to ditch contracts owing to concerns for their workers’ safety.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Cape Town waste collection companies ditch contracts following deadly shooting, threats and extortion
Cleaning and waste collection in informal settlements have largely relied on external service providers.
Daily Maverick visited Crossroads and Nyanga, where open fields have become dumping grounds. The city has set up rubbish containers, but they are overflowing. Crossroads is one of the areas affected by extortionists threatening refuse trucks, and services had to be withdrawn.
In July 2023, after noticing that the municipality was not getting value for its money following complaints from the public and service delivery protests, these services were moved in-house under mayoral committee member for urban waste management Grant Twigg.
Daily Maverick has seen the new approach and it includes:
- Pilot the insourcing of the cleaning of waste from informal settlements;
- Three-year community-based project, specifically residents residing in informal settlements;
- Opportunity for residents to take responsibility for their own communities;
- Job creation in informal areas – 3,308 work opportunities;
- Improve the informal settlement community environment in terms of cleanliness and hygiene, reduce pollution, littering and the effect of illegal dumping; and
- Enhance education of partnership between the city and informal settlements.
Contractors in areas such as Dunoon, Witsand in Atlantis and Samora Machel in Philippi still have active contracts, since not all of them were cancelled. The city still receives complaints from these areas about rubbish that is not collected, as well as about filthy streets.
Areas that have been affected include Kanana in Gugulethu, Joe Slovo, some areas in Philippi, Mitchells Plain and Manenberg.
The move to use in-house services, according to sources inside the municipality, did not receive support from some senior administrators, with allegations that they were receiving kickbacks from contractors. The move also stretched the city’s resources because there are not enough refuse trucks and personnel to carry out the project.
Filth is piling up in Cape Town townships following the collapse of waste collection. (Photo: Velani Ludidi)
This corner in Crossroads has become a dumping site for residents as refuse trucks cannot go in due to extortion rackets. (Photo: Velani Ludidi)
Forensic report
A forensic investigation report, tabled in December 2023, into the collapse of waste-collection services in townships across Cape Town pointed to Twigg and Mdunyelwa as being responsible for the collapse.
The report, which was tabled at the last council meeting in December, says Twigg and Mdunyelwa undertook the formation of a new “in-house” waste management model without delegated authority.
IOL reported that the report says city manager Lungelo Mbandazayo became aware of the pilot project and after it was found that Mdunyelwa had changed the model without any proper due diligence, he instructed that the external service providers be called back.
Following the leak of the report to the media, opposition parties have been calling for Twigg to be sacked.
Last week, Twigg told Daily Maverick there has been a problem of cleansing delivery for quite some time in both informal settlements and formal areas because of poor contractor management, and this has been the case before any forensic investigation.
“This effectively meant that the city was not getting value for its money as we are spending huge amounts for these services. Any proposals or suggestions from my office are to remedy any situation affecting the delivery of services to our residents,” he said.
“My political responsibility is to make sure services are rendered and I will propose different interventions when and where required to ensure delivery.”
Hill-Lewis defended Twigg when opposition parties called for his firing, following the leak of the report that put him at the centre of the collapse of waste collection.
At the meeting on Monday, the mayor bemoaned the cancellation of the contracts of service providers at a short notice, which led to the city facing legal action and also not having measures in place to carry the load as a result of the cancellation of the contracts.
Mdunyelwa has seven days to respond as to why he should not be placed under suspension while there is an investigation into his conduct.
Responding to questions about the collapse of waste collection, Hill-Lewis said he was also growing more and more concerned that the city, and most importantly its residents, were not getting value for money.
“That we were paying over hundreds of millions for a service, but then had to constantly top it up with our own staff anyway,” he said.
“The desired outcome is clear: Cleaner informal settlements with regular and reliable weekly collection, and in some cases more than once a week.”
He denied claims that the new in-house project was being blocked by administrators, but admitted that “it requires careful preparation and planning, which was not properly done the first time around”.
The mayor also confirmed that he had heard the rumours that administrators, including directors, were benefiting financially from the hiring of contractors.
“I have heard this rumour, of course, but I have received no specific complaint or any evidence. If any is forthcoming it will certainly be investigated.”
The mayor had not yet responded to additional queries sent on Monday.
Questions sent to the city’s municipal manager include whether he was pleased with the way contractors carried out their duties and whether he, as the city manager, and other administrators have received any financial benefit or gratuity in any form from the service providers over the years. He did not respond to the questions. Instead, city spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said:
“The city is aware of the ongoing Urban Waste Management service delivery challenges, and alternative arrangements have been made to mitigate any negative impact on residents.” DM
So primarily informal settlements and 3rd party outside contractors…..same as rest of SA Metros it seems where the, er, informality of arrangements allows cosy contracting.
I live on the outskirts of the metro and have no complaints ;Even today the removal trucks came around early this morning, 52 weeks a year
The tourist that visit CT and provide valuable income must wonder what is going on. Each year things get worse and they see it. When the tipping point is reached they will stop coming and the downward spiral will begin. Don’t let it happen Mayor!
Nope, if the ‘tourists’ see anything it is the fact that the ‘informal settlements’ (I hate that silly euphemism) are getting bigger and bigger, thanks to the economic immigrants escaping the Eastern Cape due to the real bad management of the ANC. Apparently, Khayelitsha has now about 2.5 million inhabitants.
This is the text under the photo at the head of the article:
Rubbish is strewn next to a MyCiti bus stop in Hanover Street, Cape Town. Homeless people who are still in the city are finding it increasingly difficult to get their hands on food due to the national restrictions due to the Covid-19 virus outbreak. (Photo: Jaco Marais)
Clearly the copy-writer is cutting and pasting and nobody is checking!
Do better please!
Seems the DA has failed to learn the lessons from UCT, Transnet and so on. It matters very much who you put in key managerial positions.
this just goes to show corruption happens everywhere in SA – at least the DA is trying to stop it.
the solution is proper insourcing + competent government
“A forensic investigation report, tabled in December 2023, into the collapse of waste-collection services in townships across Cape Town pointed to Twigg and Mdunyelwa as being responsible for the collapse.”
then
“…tabled a motion to place the executive director: urban waste management, Luzuko Mdunyelwa, on suspension.”
with
“these services were moved in-house under mayoral committee member for urban waste management Grant Twigg.”
double standards?
Are they all DA appointees? Genuine question that I don’t know the answer to.
No they’re not, they are employed by the city and, unlike the anc, are not political appointees not party members
Subsequent searches show Twigg at least is most certainly a DA member. He is a deputy provincial chairperson for the DA. Directly appointed by Lewis-Hill too, for what it’s worth.
This news does not surprise me as we have been trying to get satisfactory answers as to how the COCT accepted 2nd hand/used components on assets supplied against tender 49G/2022/23. New products were imported for this tender, but we have picture proof of 2nd hand components being fitted. Full thread of emails available on request.
The City of Cape Town must send a strong message that there is no feeding trough in the mother city or anywhere else in the Western Cape but orange overalls are available in abundance.
I use the N7 regularly and am distressd at the piles of rubbish everywhere in Danoon. It is a real health hazard. What happened to those big green waste buckets that used to get removed regularly? Because of the construction of the shacks it seems impossible to get access to the rubbish dumps. Can special accessable dumping sites not be made available? So waste trucks can gain access? Very difficult i realise.
The section of Dunoon running parrel with the N7 is disgusting. And the smell.
The lead photograph taken was shot during the Covid-19 outbreak. Rather disingenuous of the editor.
It’s not just informal settlements. Formal suburbs in the Deep South of Cape Town like Scarborough, Kommetjie, Ocean View and Fish Hoek are also having big problems with waste collection due to, we are told, the cancellation of waste collection contracts with private service providers.
I can understand people moaning about rubbish not being collected but who on earth is responsible for throwing rubbish on the streets and in vacant property?
Seriously!? …. If no one came to collect your rubbish from your home for months on end, what would you do?
No doubt the fact that some form of action may be taken against the Exec Dir: Urban Waste will be turned into a race issue, on both sides of the divide. If the investigation has identified Twigg as equally culpable of poor management, then Hill-Lewis must not now come out in support of Twigg who should also be requested to give substantive reasons why he should not be suspended. That would be equitable treatment of the parties implicated in this sad state of affairs. Anything else will be perceived as the DA being biased. Thus far Hill-Lewis has acquitted himself fairly well of his task. There are many who will pounce on any perceived inequity playing into the hands of those who turn every issue in a racial matter and not one of dysfunctional service delivery. It is good that Hill-Lewis has acted, but then act in fairness
Putrid comments of this nature from people like you are the DA’s major problem. Unfortunately there is a large number of people who harbour similar beliefs and in many cases we overhear them in social spaces, even though many make their conversations in Afrikaans (like here in Pretoria, where I currently live although I have a home in Gugulethu that has been in our family for over 60 years, in case you feel like calling me a ‘migrant’); a ‘dreaded’ language for the Black people due to the 1976 legacy. The educated Black people who are capable and competent hear these chats and see decrepit comments like these and tend to steer clear of the DA as we don’t see you being rooted out. Publicly calling you out in umbrella terms (it’s impossible to single you out as individuals) and firmly stating that you represent no part of their ethos would probably play a part in growing a reasoned Black electorate. You probably won’t enjoy being told to f*** off by the party leadership, would you; but they need to do so. The consistent ‘bleeding’ of capable Black seniors from the party also says a lot.
It worries me that there are no opposing arguments from those I assume to be the White contributors to this forum, who firmly support the DA, regarding this foul commentary. Unfortunately, yours is not an isolated incident. Maybe they assume that you are a troll who should just be ignored or they harbour the same sentiments…
Nevertheless, those like you have no place in our society.
Agree
I sincerely hope that DM removes this thread. It is horrible and untrue. How did it get past moderation?
I agree with you, racism has no place in our society, or any society. I disagree with you regarding the DA. You need to stand by your own professed non-racialism and measure parties on delivery rather than race. We all do. If we can achieve this emotional liberation from pur sad legacy, we will easily be able to acknowledge that the DA stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of real value provided to all our peoples. Which is why people keep moving to Cape Town. The DA has a formula that works for all, and desperately needs replication across all our country before it is too late.
For what it’s worth, patmelfourie’s comment is a shocker and should never have been approved. It doesn’t have an curse words or racial slurs, but we can still hear them. And yes, this why the DA is never getting a majority. They see this sort of thing as the price of having a base, ironically.
A fair rebuttal, and I agree with it, in the main.
However, I think it would be incorrect to assume that the commenter you were responding to is a DA member/supporter — there are plenty of indications in their comment that they do not support the DA, such as the phrase “the problems created by YOUR parties’ (sic) policies”.
I’d say that the DA’s difficulty in attracting a larger proportion of the black vote is probably due in equal parts to tone deaf statements made by their members, and to ignorant and/or abhorrent statements made by non-supporters of the DA, yet nevertheless attributed to the DA by black observers.
And there you step right into it Senzo!
An inferiority complex let you perceive every discussion among Whites as being ‘racist’.
A confident black person, when judging conversations of others, perceive the conversations as insignificant.
What others say or think can’t determine who or what you are.
What YOU believe … about yourself … is what matters.
And even if some Whites ‘cross the line’ in a conversation, a confident Black person wouldn’t lament endlessly about it.
Most ‘black’ pain is self inflicted because they perceive insignificant matters, as racist.
Convince yourself that you are unique and basically GOOD and respect yourself for it.
Some nobody you don’t know from a bar of soap and certainly don’t know if their political affiliation is the DA’s problem? I’d hazard to say that people with such an attitude as you’ve displayed is SA’s problem and why we’ll never progress as a nation
Some years ago COCT put identification sensors on our bins (I assume it did it all over Cape Town). Drilled a little hole in the handle and inserted a tag for the dump truck to read.
So then why do they not charge per kg of rubbish? Then there would be an incentive to recycle, saving money. If all the compostable stuff, cardboard, paper and vegetable mass is taken out of the bin that would mean less loads to the dump (stuck in traffic), meaning quicker collection.
If the plastic waste is collected and turned in syngas (see a company KIBO) to make electricity, that would allow informal waste pickers to make money selling plastic.
I recycle assiduously, throwing away one P&P bag a week in my neighbours wheelie (I recycle her garden waste in return).
Then I wonder how much of the recycling (carefully washed and all) just goes in the tip anyway.
Driving through CT waste is evident. Rivers and streams are dirty. Yes, and blaming the municipality good and well,but, where should it start? People do things because there is no consequence for their action.. Perhaps and maybe the practice of cleanliness is next to godliness needs to be instilled at this time. The government is rotten to the core. Now, please tell me I am wring😕
Your bigoted racist comment has no place in our country where we are trying to build a country of unity. Your comment points to the fact that your spirit is no better than the problem you call out, and that you are merely the same but just on the other side. If you want change, you will need to change your heart. I hope you do because like this your comments are an agent of destruction and hate and you make things difficult for everyone.
IOL article is used as a source or information . Picture used is from COVID time. Opposition parties are attacking Twigg. This is election time and mud must be fount by the ANC/EFF and some DM reporters
What is this suspension rubbish of every idiot, that doesn’t do his/her job or steals money?
Breeding ground for thugs.
You need to re-read your post and check your facts. Your post implies that black people are automatically less capable and competent, which is just a terribly racist thing to imply. I have seen no evidence that the City is biased in their recruitment- if anything, I have only worked with highly qualified individuals of all races in my dealings with them. A person’s race is really of no concern here – as a Capetonian (and DA voter), I only care that they recruit the best person for the job. How much melatonin they have doesn’t concern me.
Despicable comment. Shame on you. Whatever point you are trying to make is totally obscured by your flagrant racism. May the wind be ever at your back and may the road rise up to meet your face!
Why did it take so long to fire them? Evidence has been piling up for years.
Send in waste collectors with police protection
My suburb on the Peninsula did not have the refuse collected yesterday. The recycles were. We wondered if this might be a knock on effect from the turmoil in the Department.
…
Strange how from around 2022 every time I visited my mother’s home in Gugulethu – which I know very well as I grew up there – I was suddenly passing piles of rubbish on sidewalks. This was unusual and I would always ask my sisters if they knew what was going on. Because things were never like this before, it was very noticeable when rubbish started piling up in Gugs.
The fact that extortion rackets are the order of the day in many areas and that refuse removal crews are threatened, comes down to a compromised and inadequate law enforcement department and a police force which is incapable of upholding the law and apprehending criminals and their activities. Throughout our country we are held to ransom by criminals who roam free and demonise the so-called new South Africa, 30 years in the making by the ANC!
The ANC has infiltrated every Metro and local council over a lengthy period of time with incompetent managers and staff over many years.
A successful Metro relies on 3 things, the first being a competent executive, a competent workforce that includes all employees and ratepayers that pay for the services.
The executive needs to hold the leadership to high standards, the leadership needs to hold the staff to high standards and the Metro needs to hold the rate payers to account.
While we continue to talk about threats to the good order of our cities and threats to the construction industry as if the perpetrators are simply naughty, this will continue. It is time to call it what it is – namely terrorism and anarchy and treasonous. When we start using language that accurately describes the crime we will start to see action commensurate with what is being perpetrated. No more Mr Nice guy. The State has forgotten what democracy is about and how it works. 50% plus 1 is a majority and the majority have rights that trump the minority! The minority can’t be allowed to call the the shots and determine what is done or not done. Take decisive action now! You owe it to the voters and residents who are in the majority.
Looking at your photos of sprawling waste, it occurrs to me that Cape Town should ban the use of plastic bags entirely. This will create an opportunity for indigenous crafters to sell fit for purpose baskets made of organic materials for people to use as shopping containers. Supermarkets also need to pay more attention to organic packaging’ which can decompose if its left lying about and in that way there will be half the amount of long lasting refuse. This might buy the municipalities time to get their acts together. Cape Town is a beautiful place besmeared with this kind of filth. Imagine what it could be like again.
I wonder what health impacts this has had for the affected communities and the additional burdens UT gas placed on the health system.
I worked for a charity helping abandoned women and children in a few townships in the city surrounds and found to my intense disgust that their township’s ‘political and criminal’ street ‘councillors did whatever they wanted even a sickly elderly lady kicked out of her shack to lie behind it in a filthy old blanket. These crooks call the tune and it is all about bribery and corruption. I feel so sorry for it’s residents!