Structure 

The overall organisational structure clearly reflects local government’s mandate — good governance, sustainable services, social and economic development, a healthy and safe environment, community participation and inclusivity.

The central administration comprises the city manager’s office with contract management, finance, corporate and community services functions reporting directly to the city manager. The city manager will interface with the political structures through the executive mayoral committee and the council.

Central distribution functions deliver services such as metropolitan police services, heritage services, emergency management services and planning services directly to citizens and consumers.

Eleven decentralized regional administrations are responsible for providing local community services such as primary health care, social services, housing, libraries and sport and recreation. By virtue of their closeness to local communities, the regional administrations are able to promote and ensure accountability and responsiveness.

The utilities (providing water and sanitation, electricity and waste management services) and agencies (providing roads and stormwater and parks and cemeteries services) are separate companies established in terms of the the Municipal Systems Act.

The Utilities, Agencies and Corporatised Entities (UAC’s), were established as autonomous companies, in terms of the Companies Act. Overall responsibility rests with a board of directors, including executive and non-executive directors. A managing director is charged with day-to-day operational responsibility. The board and managing director are responsible for developing a business plan that specifies service, revenue, service standards, customer care improvement, safety standards, environmental protection, social and economic development and new income ideas.

The high-level organisational design of Pikitup is shown below:

  • Board of Directors
  • Managing Director
  • Company Secretary

Waste Minimisation Strategy and Programmes Chief Operation Officer Chief Financial Officer Corporate Services Legal & Compliance Commercial & Customer Service Chief Technology Officer

Employees are well represented by unions. The active unions are SAMWU and IMATU of which SAMWU represents the larger portion of the work force.

It should be noted that employees may belong to more than one union. Employees who are members of these unions fall under the Johannesburg Division of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council.

The council has entered into a Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) with each of these companies to operate specific municpal services in the city. This SDA includes the entity’s functions and obligations, service standards, five-year business plan, and performance and development targets.

The council retains the responsibility as shareholder and will receive dividends in the case of utilities or provide subsidies in the case of agencies and certain corporatised entities. The council also “regulates” the service in terms of financial issues such as tariffs and capital expenditure, human resource issues such as skills development, delivery targets in terms of maintenance of assets and addressing backlogs and standards for customer care.

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