Durban -
Spreading the Christmas cheer is what several spoof adverts, attached to traffic lights in Hillcrest, are all about.
On Monday, just after midnight, pranksters from Hillcrest placed different signs on traffic light poles advertising services such as spouse removal, spelling “korrection”, spelling “koaching”, marketing advice, cosmetic surgery and rebound guy.
All the signs had the same cellphone number.
When the Daily News called the number for spouse removal, a young man answered, identifying himself as James Brown.
He said he and his friends were merely trying to spread Christmas cheer, make people smile and get a reaction from callers.
“We just wanted to play with a bit of irony. With the traffic volumes increasing, it was a good way to spread some humour and make motorists chuckle.
“People are stressed on their way to work so laughter is the best medicine,” he said.
The boards were put up only in Hillcrest. Brown said he received many calls from curious people wanting to know more about his services.
“Most callers seem eager to play along to the joke,” he said.
There was no charge, Brown said, the only benefit was making people laugh. The picture of the spouse removal ad was posted on the Upper Highway Facebook page where Kim Row called it a “classic”.
One Facebooker, Nirvaan Singh, said: “I guess Shrien Dewani has started a new business trend.”
Another commented that if she was not already divorced, she would have used his services.
Facebook user Robyn Mitchell shared a picture of the “spouse removal” poster on the Upper Highway Info page with the message: “I wonder how many calls they’ve had?”
Humour
She had seen the placard at the corner of Old Main and Stonewall roads.
Many users commended the man behind the posters on his creativity and sense of humour.
Daniela Lara Laret said: “I’m going to print off a few copies and randomly leave them around the house.
“May get me off cooking every once in a while.”
Anne de Chazal asked: “Do you think it’s a 24-hour service?”
Charmaine FC Saunders posted: “Do they take them out kicking and screaming or feet first?”
Other Facebook users were suspicious.
“Smells of revenge to me,” wrote Eve Bridges Viljoen.
Daily News