Refuse collection and City drop-off facility arrangements over the festive season

13 December 2023

The City’s Cleansing teams are working hard to keep Cape Town’s popular visitor areas clean this festive season. Residents should also note updates regarding refuse collection over the holidays, and changes in operating hours at community recycling centres.

Cleansing

The City of Cape Town's cleansing teams is hard at work over this holiday season, ensuring Cape Town looks its best for visitors and locals alike. Various cleansing programmes are operating throughout the City, providing intensified cleansing services especially around CBDs and tourist areas, including beaches and scenic routes.

This year an additional 2 568 workers are planned for the seasonal programme, which will be working in conjunction with an expected 1 154 workers in the Rapid Response Programme.

'A lot of businesses in Cape Town rely on a busy summer to balance their books, so it is important for the City to ensure that visitors have the best experience. We want them to come back to Cape Town for their holiday every year!

'Residents should also assist us by avoiding littering. If you are going to visit one of our recreational areas please remember to Bin it in a Bingo Bin,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.

Collections

Residents should please be aware that as traffic patterns may start changing and getting busy over the holidays, your refuse may be collected at different times than what you are used to. Please ensure bins are out by 06:30 on the morning of collection to ensure waste is collected.

Community recycling centres (Drop-offs)

Please be advised that community recycling centres (formerly known as drop-off sites) will be closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day. Otherwise sites will operate according to hours advertised here.

'Christmas boxes'

Residents are reminded that City policy forbids Urban Waste Management personnel from soliciting Christmas boxes or any other kind of donation.

Each year the City receives reports of residents being approached, sometimes aggressively, for Christmas boxes or donations. In previous years there have also been reports of threats directed towards residents that waste will not be collected unless a Christmas donation is given.

The City will not tolerate such behaviour from our staff and has accordingly instructed all staff that soliciting for Christmas boxes and donations is prohibited.

'It would be appreciated if residents could report any incidents of intimidation and unruly behaviour by City staff to the Call Centre on 0860 103 089. Apart from the date, time and place of the incident, a vehicle registration number should be provided so that the offenders can be identified. Residents can also send an email to Wastewise.User@capetown.gov.za. Such reports will be investigated immediately and, where residents are willing to testify, the City will be able to take appropriate disciplinary action,' said Alderman Twigg.

Residents should also be aware that certain opportunists attempt to pose as collections staff at this time of year. If residents suspect that the people who approach them are misrepresenting themselves, the matter should be reported to the South African Police Service.

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office