Johannesburg – In what residents are calling one of the most ridiculous municipal scandals of the year, a R10 million tender meant for dustbins reportedly resulted in just 12 bins being delivered to a local township. Yes… twelve. Not twelve hundred, not twelve thousand—twelve.
According to locals, the bins were supposed to be distributed across Tembisa and surrounding areas to help curb waste management problems. Instead, residents were left staring at a handful of plastic containers while wondering, “Where did the rest of the money go?”
“I saw the truck pull up… I thought it was a joke. I counted the bins… one, two, three… twelve. I checked again… still twelve! I couldn’t stop laughing… then I realized, this is serious,” said Nomsa Dlamini, a local resident.
Municipal officials have been tight-lipped, with some claiming that delays, “logistical issues,” and “supply shortages” caused the fiasco. But locals are unconvinced. “R10 million and we get twelve bins? Eish… either someone’s very generous with their pockets or very bad at math,” said a neighbour sarcastically.
The scandal has exploded on social media. TikTok users have mocked the situation, posting clips with captions like:
“12 bins, 10 million? I want my money back 😭🗑️”
“Mzansi municipal math: R10M ÷ 12 = millionaire contractor 🤯”
Investigative journalists are now demanding full transparency, calling the tender a “prime example of corruption, negligence, or both.” Experts say the story highlights a bigger problem: how public funds are mismanaged in South Africa.
Meanwhile, locals are left improvising. “We’re just using old buckets now… at least the waste gets picked up eventually,” said Bongani, a resident trying to cope with the dumpster shortage.