This week, I engaged with the Outdoor Advertising Unit, within the Building Development Management Directorate of Development Planning, and was pleased by the commitment our officials have in delivering quality services to the residents of Johannesburg.
The purpose of the oversight meeting was to inspect the status quo of the unit, namely its role in the Department, and the impact of its interaction with internal and external stakeholders.
This kind of engagement is paramount, as the 2018-approved Outdoor Advertising by-law 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, as a result of illegal advertising signs on both Council and other land, and enhance optimal revenue flow that was previously lost.
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.
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 enforce 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.
For media queries:
Poppy Louw
Stakeholder Manager: Office the MMC for Development Planning
poppyl@joburg.org.za
081 235 4999
