Cape Town - Campaign posters of mayor Patricia de Lille, erected in Goodwood before the DA’s provincial congress on the weekend, were unauthorised in terms of the City of Cape Town’s outdoor signage bylaw.
The DA posters, with the “Patricia for leader” slogan, popped up in the streets near to the His People Church where the congress was held, in full view of passing motorists.
But city spokeswoman Priya Reddy confirmed that the municipality, which is run by De Lille as executive mayor, did not approve the posters.
“Posters must have permit stickers and this was an event poster for which stickers should have been applied. Only election posters during an official election period would not require permit stickers.”
Fortunately for the DA, the party was spared the embarrassment of having to pay penalties for illegal posters of their new provincial leader.
The posters were removed shortly after the party’s new provincial leaders were announced.
But Reddy said the party could face fines if any posters were still visible. “Where our contractors remove any of these posters and have them in evidence, the DA will be charged according to the city’s tariffs and charges as published.”
The city’s outdoor signage bylaw, which was amended in 2013, applies to any state-owned or private entity or person who displays or wants to erect any advertising sign or form of outdoor advertising in the Cape Town metropolitan area. The bylaw regulates the appearance, location and amount of time posters may be placed in public spaces. A permit sticker must be displayed on all posters that are approved by the municipality.
In January, the ANC was forced to discard about 400 posters because the city said the font and design would disturb motorists. The posters were part of the ANC’s media campaign before its 103rd anniversary celebrations at the Cape Town Stadium.
The DA had not responded to queries by the time of going to press.
Cape Argus