By Hope Ntanzi
Election posters which were used to canvass votes for the May 29 elections must be removed within ten to twelve days after the election to avoid being penalised.
In a bid to restore the visual integrity of urban landscapes and ensure environmental cleanliness, municipalities in South Africa’s major cities - Ekurhuleni and Cape Town have issued a strict deadline for the removal of all election campaign materials.
With just ten days post general elections to comply, political parties face fines for any removal remnants.
The decision was made in response to the abundance of billboards, banners, and campaign posters that flood the streets, lampposts, and public areas during election season.
The visual appeal of neighbourhoods as public spaces that have an impact on people's lives can be diminished by persistent presences, even though this material is an essential tool for political communication.
City of Ekurhuleni
In a statement released, all political parties in the City of Ekurhuleni have until June 12, to take down all of their campaign materials from public areas.
The removal of election posters during the grace period complies with a city by-law that prohibits their display for longer than 14 days following after an election.
“Parties are, therefore, urged to remove their election posters and any other election-related material/ illustrations by 12 June in all areas of the city.’’
The metro also stated that if the responsible party does not comply, the City may remove the posters themselves at a cost of R57.69 per poster, which would be charged to them in accordance with Schedule 19 of the tariffs for the 2023/2024 financial year.
Furthermore, the City shall not be responsible for any loss or damage, storage fees, expenses, demands, claims, or other liabilities arising from the removal of election-related materials by the city from any person or political party that participated in the elections.
City of Cape Town
According to Alderman Andrews the City Deputy Mayor and committee member for spatial planning and environment, all election posters and banners, including any string or plastic that may be attached to streetlight poles should be removed by midnight on Saturday, June 8,
The metro stated that starting on Monday, June 10, the City will remove any posters that are not taken down by the deadline for a fee of R134 per political party. Furthermore, bills will be sent to the relevant political parties.
“The City kindly reminds political parties of the election poster removal rules that the administration shared with all in the run-up to the election. These are contained in the election rules document. Another reminder was sent on Friday, 31 May 2024.
“To recover any of the unauthorised election posters removed by the municipality, parties will need to liaise, during office hours, with the City’s Environmental Management Department officials to collect the posters,” said the municipality.
‘’All posters will be removed in no particular order or preference’’ said Andrews.
Political parties are urged to cooperate fully with municipal authorities in adhearing to the stipulated deadline.
IOL