The MMC for Development Planning, councillor Reuben Masango, held a oversight visit within the Building Development Management Directorate of Development Planning, with the purpose of checking whether the Outdoor Advertising Unit is upholding its service delivery targets
Masango stated that he was pleased by the commitment shown by the officials to delivering quality service to the residents of Johannesburg.
According to Masango, this kind of engagement is paramount, as the Outdoor Advertising by-law, approved in 2018, is currently subject to litigation and cannot be implemented, pending the judgment, leaving the City to enforce the 2009 by-law in the interim.
The litigation process has given rise to the need to engage with stakeholders, including the judiciary, and outline the negative impact consistent litigation has on the City’s ability to deliver quality services to the residents of Johannesburg.
It is the City’s goal to ultimately resolve contractual challenges without the need for litigation, which is a costly process.
One of the ways that have been identified to address this is through the implementation of the Council-approved Transitional Period strategy that effectively allows the City to review outdoor advertising in order to improve compliance within the industry and combat illegal advertising.
The transitional period strategy will also enable the City to effectively reduce clutter caused by the proliferation of illegal advertisements on both council and other land, and increase the flow of previously lost revenue.
“We further acknowledge that a conducive working relationship with the Johannesburg Property Company was required in order for the Outdoor Advertising Unit to obtain maximum productivity. This includes eliminating contradictions that exist in the approval of signs and the signing of contracts,” Masango said.
He also mentioned that an intervention is required to improve on the support given by internal stakeholders, including the Johannesburg Roads Agency and City Power, particularly because their inputs contribute to the application decision process. The lack of resources, shortage in the unit’s staff component, effective working space and efficient operational systems are challenges management is addressing, due to the projected increase in workflow as a result of the transitional period strategy.
Additional to this is the Department’s initiative to form a single law enforcement unit, which is aimed at streamlining all compliance-related matters and enforcing the currently prescribed by-laws in order to protect the general public from urban blight, clutter and the deterioration of municipal assets caused by the illegal erection of signs.
“It is the vision of the City to turn Johannesburg into a city where all businesses can thrive and create job opportunities. This, however, can only be achieved through the creation of a business-friendly environment where by-laws are adhered to. We therefore call upon the industry and other stakeholders to work with Development Planning in achieving our goal to build a better South Africa for all, because a Johannesburg that works, is a South Africa that works,” Masango concluded.
