City gets tough on illegal outdoor advertisers

24 November 2016

 

The City of Johannesburg is stepping up its efforts to curb illegal outdoor advertising, which does not only create a safety hazard but is also costing it hundreds of millions of rand in lost revenue every year.

 

As the City continues its clampdown on offenders – including big corporations and media owners – by instituting civil claims and laying charges against them, its Outdoor Advertising Unit is soon to embark on a massive educational drive to engage and sensitise residents about the impact of illegal outdoor advertising in the public sphere.

Outdoor advertising and billboards by-laws do not allow for signs and billboards to be erected without the City’s permission. Wrap advertising signs in residential areas are also illegal.

Illegal outdoor advertising in Johannesburg has been classified as a serious crime, in the same category as building hijackings.

The City’s Virgil James says due to the severity of the challenge, the City plans to amend its by-laws to give it more teeth in its bid to eradicate the scourge. The process is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2016 and the amended by-laws are expected to be published early in 2017.

The City has also recommended that a declaratory order be issued against media owners for the removal of signs erected illegally.

The declaratory order will be submitted to the courts, after which the City will place an advertisement in a newspaper on the issue. If the transgressor still does not remove the illegal sign, the City will approach the courts to have it removed without any recourse.

James says the community educational campaign will be rolled out citywide during the first quarter of 2017.
“The biggest challenge the City has with illegal outdoor advertising is that people and media owners erect signs without its approval. The erection of signs in this manner creates a safety hazard for members of the public and it affects municipal infrastructure as such erections are not monitored,” says James.

The Outdoor Advertising Unit has a long-standing relationship with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, which has a dedicated team of officers who assist with the enforcement of the by-laws.

“Adherence to advertising by-laws improves the safety of pedestrians and motorists. It also saves the city’s infrastructure from accelerated wear and tear,” says James.

He adds that complying with by-laws minimises clutter and ensures that there is “co-existence between traffic and advertising signs”.

People who want to advertise legally are requested to approach the Outdoor Advertising Unit on the 6th Floor of Metro Centre in Braamfontein. The unit can also be contacted on (011) 407-6062 or by e-mailing Operations Manager Jack Sekgobela on jackse@joburg.org.za.

The public can also approach the unit during consultation times between 8am and 11am from Monday to Friday.