The City of Johanneburg has declared war on unauthorised advertising signs and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has got to work.
Superintendent Xolani Fihla, a spokesperson for JMPD, has highlighted that Johannesburg municipalities’ specific by-laws regulate outdoor advertising.
These by-laws cover approval procedures, maintenance, and removal, with defined penalties for violations.
Official city stickers
“No person may erect an advertising sign, or use or continue to use, an advertising sign or any structure or device as an advertising sign without the prior written approval of the City,” Fihla told the Fourways Review.
“Only posters bearing City stickers, which serve as proof of obtained permission, are legal. All other posters are considered illegal and are subject to removal.”
The orange City stickers bear a unique barcode and can be found on advertising signs that show that they have been erected in accordance with City by-laws.
The JMPD’s ongoing efforts aim to maintain cleanliness, order, and adherence to City by-laws by consistently removing unlawfully-erected posters and signage.
“If you intend to display a poster or outdoor advertisement, it is advisable to seek advice from a legal professional or directly contact the City’s Development Planning Department to ensure full compliance with the by-law. Failure to comply may lead to penalties,” Fihla added.
Verifying advertising signs
To verify the legality of advertising signs, Fihla urged concerned parties to contact the City or the Outdoor Advertising Unit.
Notably, the JMPD has already removed an illegal advertising sign on the corner of Douglas and Glenluce drives in Douglasdale.
Ward 94 councillor David Foley added that he had also removed illegal signs in his area to uphold regulatory standards.
Man earns living from vegetable garden; City Power destroys it
In other Johannesburg community news, a man faced shock and heartache as City Power workers tore down his entire vegetable garden along Jan Smuts Avenue.
The space was once an abandoned and overgrown area, underneath city power lines. Mkhize transformed this patch of land into a vegetable garden and grew veggies like tomatoes, carrots, cabbages and spinach.
He earned a living by selling these vegetables to passers-by. Read more on that story here.
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