Kimberley refuse collection disrupted by fleet shortages

RESIDENTS in parts of Kimberley were left without refuse collection on Tuesday after Sol Plaatje Municipality reported a shortage of refuse trucks, forcing households to keep uncollected waste on their own properties while the municipality works on a recovery plan.

In a public notice issued on Tuesday night, the municipality said refuse collection could not be completed in parts of the city scheduled for Tuesday pick-ups due to a “fleet shortage challenge”. To mitigate the disruption, one compactor truck is expected to be added to the fleet after undergoing repairs in Bloemfontein.

Municipal spokesperson Thabo Mothibi said the shortage affected multiple areas across the city, including Old Roodepan, Erwe, White City and Mintdraft in Roodepan; Tshwaragano and Danston in Galeshewe; and Greenside, Greenpoint and parts of South Ridge in Kimberley suburbia.

Residents in the affected areas were requested to retain their refuse on their premises until further notice. At the time of publication, no confirmed catch-up schedule had been communicated, although the municipality said residents would be notified once a recovery plan is finalised.

The latest disruption comes amid ongoing concerns from residents about the reliability of basic municipal services, with refuse collection emerging as a recurring challenge. While the municipality has previously indicated that fleet availability was improving, Tuesday’s non-collection highlights continued pressure on refuse collection capacity.

The municipality apologised for the inconvenience caused and said efforts were under way to stabilise operations once the additional compactor truck returns to service.

Residents are advised to monitor official municipal communication channels for updates on a possible catch-up collection programme.