Johannesburg - The South African National Roads Agency Ltd (Sanral) is at loggerheads with the City of Ekurhuleni over numerous illegal billboards the municipality has approved on bridges and along freeways, particularly along the R21 towards OR Tambo International Airport.
And in what has been described as a bizarre situation, four internal Ekurhuleni departments are at odds with one another over it.
In one case, Ekurhuleni's real estate department is opposing the outdoor advertising department that approved a giant 91m2 billboard on Gillooly’s Farm, targeting the busy Gillooly’s interchange.
The real estate department has requested the legal department to interdict the applicants who erected it, forcing them to remove it.
The parks department is also involved because both legs of the billboard are within the historic Gillooly’s Farm and the owners of the billboard should have entered a lease agreement with it.
Sanral said there were numerous advertising signs on and along the national roads in the Ekurhuleni metro (approved by the metro) that were in conflict with the Sanral act and the regulations on outdoor advertising.
There are also many illegal signs along the N3, N12 and R21.
Sanral spokesman Vusi Mona said they had written to the city manager pointing out the transgressions, but “we have not been able to have a meeting on the matter with him”.
“We have, however, engaged with the officials in the advertising department a number of times, pointing out the transgressions, without success,” he said.
Regarding the Gillooly’s billboard, he confirmed the city's legal department was taking the matter to court.
“Sanral has agreed to support the department with all the input required regarding the transgressions of our act and the regulations, and if necessary we will depose an affidavit as well,” he said.
He said all outdoor advertising visible from the national road/highway, up to a distance of 250m from the road reserve boundaries, must be approved by Sanral.
“This is for road safety reasons. Advertising distracts drivers and affects concentration, and this leads to incidents/accidents much like using a cellphone or radio while driving. The advertising boards clutter the road environment and the road signs are lost in the maze of signs, making it difficult for drivers to focus on the traffic warning and directional signs,” said Mona.
Sanral has issued the warnings and removal notices as is required in terms of the Sanral act which have been ignored.
Bedfordview ward councillor Jill Humphreys is angry.
“First of all, I never received the application - they sent it to the wrong ward councillor. We would have mobilised residents and the public, and permission would never have been granted.
“Motorists and Ekurhuleni residents are being compromised with the proliferation of illegal billboards. There are about 75 of these between Edenvale and the airport and that number is well over the required 250m space which should be allowed between boards.
“They are destroying the character of the residential suburbs around them. Bedfordview is being pimped out to the highest bidder for these boards,” she said.
Humphreys said these illegal signs were also compromising the structure of the bridges on which they were being erected.
Trees, which act as a buffer between the freeway and residential areas, have also been removed for visibility.
In one case in the Wychwood area, the advertising boards placed over a pedestrian bridge have caused the area to become a “dark tunnel” blocking the open view.
“There have been numerous muggings of children who use this bridge to get to school because they are no longer visible to the motorists below,” she said.
Local resident Liz Kirsten said the residents of the surrounding areas were outraged.
“I suspect that the thinking is ignore the objections and once the advertisement is up it will be too late to do anything about it’. I fear that is what happens. People protest and then become resigned to the fact that nothing will happen. I don't feel like doing that,” she said.
Ekurhuleni spokesman Themba Radebe said the city had approved the sign.
Peter Le Mottée, attorney for Tshepo Gugu Trading which put up the sign, confirmed receiving the application for the interdict and said they would be opposing it.
“We got the necessary permits, but we are now being told that the person who authorised them had no authority to do so. We're also told we need a lease from the parks department, which we do not have. Furthermore they said the billboard is too close to the intersection,” he said.
Glenfiddich marketing manager Lauren Kuhlmey said the company had ensured that the owner of the board had all approvals and authority in place before it had rented the space.
“We went through all the right processes,” she said.