If the Joburg municipality was to try and close the stable door so long after the horse of illegal outdoor advertising has well and truly bolted, it would, in all likelihood, find that door plastered with yet another pirate placard.
So, it is difficult to feel sympathy for the organisation when it moans that non-compliance costs it hundreds of millions of rand a year… presumably in lost revenue for the signs that are in a legal space, or for what it spends sending crews to remove the ones that are in places they are not allowed to be.
On a highly publicised “compliance drive” this week, workers were tearing down multiple public-facing advertising banners across the city.
Yet, had they done this 25 or 30 years ago, we wouldn’t be in the situation we are now.
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There are many outdoor advertising companies taking advantage of lax law enforcement to place their material wherever they like.
If there is an issue, they tie up the council – or even the SA National Roads Agency – for years in legal fights.
Cape Town never stood for any lawlessness when it came to outdoor advertising, vigorously enforcing its bylaws.
And you can see the results: clean, uncluttered streets.
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