By-laws regulate outdoor advertising, warns Tshwane council

Advertising is everywhere, but the Tshwane Metro Council is warning businesses and residents that there are by-laws to obey.

According to the council, any visual representation of a word, name, number, letter, figure, illustration, object, mark or symbol or of an abbreviation of a word or name, or any combination of such elements with the object of transferring information, is known as advertising.

When advertisements are put up on publicly or privately owned property in such a way that they are visible from public places such as streets, it is known as outdoor advertising and there are by-laws to obey.

Outdoor advertising has become an integral part of the urban landscape in Tshwane, but the municipality said it also had the potential to radically affect the appearance of the city if not properly managed.

The metro adopted the control of outdoor advertising by-laws in 2006 which sets out the legal requirements with regard to application procedures, safety, design and construction of signs, and the regulation of their display. It also set out penalties.

The council has warned that the by-law states that, "no person shall erect, maintain or display a sign or allow any other person to erect, maintain or display a sign in a place or on a building or structure that is visible from any public space without the consent of the municipality".

In applying the by-laws, the metro's outdoor advertising unit says it strives to ensure that outdoor advertising in Tshwane is environmentally sensitive, socially responsible and suited to the area in which advertisements are put up.

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