The eThekwini Municipality has urged political parties in the district to remove all their posters or face a fine.
The City said political parties located in the eThekwini Municipal area have until June 30, 2024 to remove their election campaign material erected on electricity street poles and any other Municipal infrastructure.
City spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said this decision was taken by the council in December 2023.
Political parties who fail to remove their posters by the stipulated dates will be fined an amount of R1,193 per poster by the Municipality.
She said the Development Planning Environment and Management Unit is responsible for the regulation of outdoor advertising in the Municipality, among other responsibilities.
“During the election period, consideration was given to relaxing some of the requirements in the spirit of promoting democracy.”
Sagren Naicker, acting manager: General Advertising in the Development Planning Unit, said political parties or candidates were allowed to have 800 posters per ward.
“Should political parties fail to remove posters during the stipulated period, the Municipality will remove them and fine the political party based on the number of posters removed,” said Naicker.
He said this also applies to political parties that were given permission to advertise on the highways and the beachfront for the purpose of elections only.
“We are strict in implementing advertising by-laws within the Municipal area. No one is allowed to erect any advertisement without the prior permission from our unit,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiment was eThekwini City Manager Musa Mbhele who said that now that the election period is over, election posters must be removed.
“We are governed by to a council resolution regarding the removal of election posters. This will also assist to keep the city clean, as some posters have been blown off street poles while others are hanging precariously,” he said.
Mbhele urged political parties to comply with the City’s by-laws which are promulgated by the Municipality.
“The resolution is clear, posters should be removed 30 days after the elections,” said Mbhele.
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