DURBAN - Msunduzi Municipality wants to clamp down on illegal outdoor advertising as it is undermining the efforts being made to keep the city clean.
In a service delivery meeting on Monday morning, it was emphasised illegal posters must be removed from the city.
The illegal outdoor advertising refers to the proliferation of posters on street light poles offering a range of services, including abortions and penis enlargements.
A statement about the meeting on the city’s Facebook page said the city leadership has requested a signage, economic development, and law enforcement unit work together to curb illegal advertising.
“The municipality’s goal is to clean up the city and collect revenue, but illegal outdoor advertising undermines our efforts,” said mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla.
The announcement was met with some positive reaction from residents but others said the city leadership had failed to keep the city clean and deal with crime and grime that had become ingrained.
Reacting to the post, one Facebook user said: “I can’t agree more. All the abortion and penis enlargement posters are spoiling the good work the city in doing in keeping the city cleaner. Even the palm trees in Langalibalele were full of them the last time I drove down. I thought there were cameras in the CBD. Do they not show who is doing this?”
But another Facebook user said he feared this was a waste of time: “Clean the city! Our children are smoking drugs just outside the city hall, but you don't care.
“You are well aware of drug houses in your city but you don’t care. I’ve never seen a city that is breeding drug addicts and vagrants in large quantities like Pietermaritzburg,” he said.