Business owners and property managers in the heart of Komani are facing mounting frustration following a service delivery breakdown that has left commercial hubs dealing with uncollected waste.
Siebert Pretorius, the centre manager of the Morums Building, has raised concerns with the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality after refuse collection reportedly stalled for a month, prompting management to hire individuals out of pocket to clear the accumulating waste.
The property houses several prominent local food outlets, including Chef Chicken and Romans Pizza, making the upkeep of the surrounding pavement essential for both tenants and patrons.
Pretorius emphasised that the prolonged delay in waste removal poses a serious public health concern for the busy commercial zone.
“We’ve got two restaurants here on top, and Chef Chicken and Romans and Kaaba Lounge. Really, and this is unbecoming for them to let us have places like this. It’s not healthy, it’s a health risk this,” Pretorius stated.
Management has also faced ongoing challenges with security and property maintenance. According to Pretorius, despite installing barbed wire around the perimeter, individuals frequently scale the fencing to access and tear open refuse bags, scattering debris across the area.
Attempts to resolve the backlog through official channels reportedly led to further friction. Pretorius stated that when he contacted municipal representatives regarding the missed collections, the interaction became tense, with an official eventually ending the call during the dispute over service responsibilities.
Komani News reached out to the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality for comment regarding the four-week delay in refuse collection and the reported communication breakdown, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
Local stakeholders continue to call for improved communication and regular service delivery to ensure the town centre remains clean and safe for business.
