Outdoor Advertising strategic review to improve compliance across Joburg
JOBURG – The 36-month transitional period will provide a way forward amidst the current legal impasse regarding the new by-laws.
During last week’s council sitting the transitional period strategy for the City of Johannesburg’s outdoor advertising portfolio was approved, effectively allowing the City to review outdoor advertising in order to improve compliance and enhance value before the new by-laws are implemented.
The 36-month transitional period will provide a way forward amidst the current legal impasse regarding the new by-laws.
In efforts to improve outdoor advertising in Johannesburg and bring an end to the rampant lawlessness, the City amended its 2009 by-law in order to improve compliance and create a conducive environment for the industry to conduct business while protecting the general public from urban blight, clutter and the deterioration of municipal assets due to the illegal erection of signs. The new by-law was passed in March 2018 and promulgated later in May.
However, this by-law is currently subject to litigation. The City has agreed to suspend the implementation of the new by-law, pending the outcome of this litigation. This agreement has been made an order of the court. In the interim, the City continues to enforce the 2009 by-law in its entirety.
This is, however, not enough to deal with and regulate the current outdoor advertising clutter across the City. In the interim, there is a great need for control of illegal advertising clutter across the City. A strategy will be put in place to allow the advertising industry some time to rectify any illegal advertising.
After the council approval, both the Joburg Property Company (JPC) and the Department of Development Planning can now finalise this process. New measures will be put in place to reduce clutter due to illegal advertising signs on both council and other land, allowing optimal revenue flow for the City where it has previously been lost.
Ultimately, the City said it wants to resolve contractual challenges without the need for litigation and turn the City into a place where all businesses can thrive and create job opportunities.
The City said it was working with the advertising sector to ensure that it achieves an outcome to the benefit of all Joburg residents and business alike.
