Ten new refuse trucks are expected to roll out across Mdantsane soon after the Buffalo City Metro handed over the vehicles for use in the township's wards.
SummaryOpen the quick read
- Buffalo City Metro has officially procured and handed over a R40m waste management fleet for deployment in Mdantsane.
- The acquisition includes 10 refuse compactor trucks, one tipper truck, and one landfill compactor truck.
- Mayor Princess Faku highlighted that expanding the internal fleet will curb expensive third-party outsourcing and advance the metro's recovery plan.
- BCM previously operated with only 22 compactor trucks, roughly half of which were undergoing repairs, forcing the city to rent vehicles.
- The addition lifts internal capacity towards 32 operational compactors, bringing the city closer to its required baseline of 43 trucks.
Ten new refuse trucks are expected to roll out across Mdantsane soon after the Buffalo City Metro handed over the vehicles for use in the township's wards.
The R40m fleet was officially handed over to the solid waste and environmental management department earlier this week.
BCM mayor Princess Faku said two more were still needed to complete the fleet and ensure refuse collection in Mdantsane was sufficient.
"One of the things that we have committed ourselves to, as the municipality of Buffalo City, is to make sure that we reduce outsourcing," Faku said.
"We started with the recovery plan and looked at where we spent the most money and where we can save money.
"When refuse is not collected as scheduled, the consequences are immediate and far-reaching.
"Illegal dumping increases, drainage systems become blocked, public spaces deteriorate and communities become vulnerable to environmental pollution and health risks.
Mayor Princess Faku at the handover of the new waste management fleet. Picture: SUPPLIED
"These challenges affect the quality of life of our residents and undermine the vision of a clean, dignified and well-managed city."
Metro spokesperson Luzuko Buku confirmed that R40m had been spent, saying the purchase included 10 compactor trucks, one tipper truck and one landfill compactor truck.
"For the municipality to run an efficient waste management system and ensure improved state of cleanliness, we need to have ... around 43 refuse removal compactor trucks.
"Before this purchase, we had about 22 compactor trucks with around 10 of these undergoing major and minor repairs.
"This meant that the municipality had to hire trucks to maintain the state of cleanliness.
"The addition of this fleet alleviates this challenge ... This means that once all our trucks are fully repaired, we will have an internal capacity of around 32 compactor trucks."
Buku on Friday said the trucks are still at the municipal depot and would be rolled out soon.
