Refuse truck fleet ailing
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has spent close to R90-million on hired trucks, equipment and overtime for refuse collection due to its ailing fleet.
The fleet, the majority of which is old, takes months to be repaired by the fleet management department, forcing the city to hire vehicles to meet its service delivery demands. The metro’s expenditure on waste management amounted to R89.6-million between July last year and last month.
At a public health portfolio committee meeting yesterday, councillors raised concerns that the cost of hiring trucks and equipment was excessive. Acting executive director Tsietsi Mokonenyane revealed in a report that the high costs were a direct consequence of the aged and unreliable fleet.
A number of side-tippers and front-end loaders were scrapped over the years and were never replaced. Mokonenyane said the costs were further escalated by repairs on broken trucks and equipment being done elsewhere.
“Our fleet takes too long at repairs,” he said.
“In other metros, they cut costs by servicing their own fleet as they understand that the repairs are urgent. “An external mechanic is not sensitive that we need the vehicle back as soon as possible and then takes his time when fixing the truck.
It would be better if the waste department serviced its own trucks because each truck spends too much time on the road – fleet after fleet – which shortens its life span.” Mokonenyane claimed that the expenditure had also been ballooned by employees who manipulated the system and the trucks to claim overtime.
This, he said, meant that staff would be paid for a full eight-hour shift while the truck was being repaired and jump onto another truck when it became available and thereafter claim for over time.
A total of R20.9-million was spent on overtime linked to breakdowns. Mokonenyane said they needed an extra R10-million in their budget for the 2018-19 financial year to assist the troubled department. Councillors of the portfolio committee said more trucks had to be added to the fleet.
ANC councillor Ncediso Captain said waste management in the townships could be improved with more trucks. “The townships are dirty because we only have two tipper trucks collecting refuse in Kwazakhele, Zwide and New Brighton,” he said.
“Budget and treasury [department] should make provisions so we don’t continue hiring trucks but we have our own trucks. It is critical that we buy trucks.”
Captain also complained about the changes in times of refuse removal due to the recent workers’ strike. DA councillor Mthokozisi Nkosi said the state of the metro’s fleet had to be investigated.
“It needs to be investigated why there isn’t a good enough fleet.
“There also must be a cap put on the overtime that each worker can work. We must look at a cap analysis.” ANC councillor Queenie Pink suggested that the additional R10-million required be accompanied by a business plan.
