For years, illegal advertising has been on the rise in the Fourways area, with businesses illegally placing advertising posters and trailers where they are not supposed to.
Behind the bright lights and bold branding lies a growing problem that city officials say is costing Johannesburg millions of rands. At the same time, it remains a lucrative business for illegal advertisers, poses a serious road safety risk, and has become a symbol of widespread lawlessness.
Now, after sustained pressure from ward councillors and residents, the City of Johannesburg has launched a co-ordinated enforcement drive to dismantle illegal outdoor advertising across Fourways and surrounding areas, and city leaders say this is only the beginning.
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Local authorities have repeatedly raised concerns about the unchecked spread of illegal advertising structures, many of which have appeared seemingly overnight without permits, leases, or engineering approvals, while others operate on expired permits and leases.
Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe says this has been going on for years, especially on the highway and Witkoppen Road.
“Investigations show that between the highway and Witkoppen, there is only one legal advert, and that’s inside Eagle’s Nest Bed and Breakfast. The rest of the adverts along that stretch are illegal.”
Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy echoed the same sentiments. “Not all advertising signs that are placed, even on legal stands, are legally placed. These signs distract motorists, block visibility, obscure roads, and create dangerous driving conditions. We cannot allow people to place signs wherever they feel like.”
Reddy described the current operation as the first step in what he hopes will be sustained enforcement along Winnie Mandela Drive and beyond.
According to city manager Floyd Brink, the outdoor advertising industry in Johannesburg is worth close to R5b, with the city entitled to roughly 35% of that revenue through permits, leases, and revenue-sharing agreements.
“If a board is worth R100 000, the city should receive about R35 000, if it is done legally. What we are seeing instead is a high level of lawlessness and illegality. The city is losing revenue, and that directly affects our ability to deliver services.”
Also read: Naked non-compliance in city billboard advert crackdown
Brink said the city has adopted a zero-tolerance approach, combining by-law enforcement with revenue recovery and legal action. “This is about our financial sustainability. If illegal boards can be regularised, we will do so. If not, they will be removed.”
Despite the city’s stated zero-tolerance stance, enforcement on the ground remains severely constrained.
Nthatisi Modingoane, the city’s spokesperson, previously admitted that only two officials are responsible for monitoring outdoor advertising across the entire metro. “This is why illegal adverts are reinstated despite intervention by JMPD. The city’s resources are overstretched.”
Leading the clean-up on the ground is the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), which is responsible for outdoor advertising on city owned land. JPC CEO Musawakhe ‘Musah’ Makhunga said many of the billboards erected along major Fourways routes have no approvals, no leases, and no legal standing whatsoever. “These boards are capitalising on public roads.
“What they are selling is the visibility of cars passing by, yet there is no approval, no lease with the city, and the people who erected them are making money while the city loses out.”
He added that the operation involves a multi-disciplinary task team, including JPC, JMPD, development planning, Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), City Power, the office of the city manager, and the CFO’s office. “Some of these boards are illegally connected to electricity, some are on road reserves, and others violate planning approvals. We are looking at full compliance, not just removal.”
Despite the city’s renewed enforcement push, officials have acknowledged that illegal advertising has flourished, partly due to severe capacity constraints.
Ward 94 councillor David Foley has described the situation in Fourways as a cat-and-mouse game, where operators reinstall signage just days after removal, sometimes overnight.
Also read: Johannesburg Property Company cracks down on illegal outdoor advertising
The city recently recorded what it called a willful act of defiance after an illegal outdoor advert was reinstalled shortly after being lawfully removed.
In response, the city initiated escalated enforcement measures, including statutory penalties, further investigations, and possible removal of the advertising structure itself.
Fourways Review reached out to JMPD, which serves as the city’s primary enforcement arm for outdoor advertising by-laws.
Superintendent Xolani Fihla, who is the JMPD spokesperson, said this is a war on illegal advertising, and operations will continue across Johannesburg as part of an ongoing drive to restore order, improve safety, and recover lost revenue.
“Illegal signage poses real dangers, as these structures can distract drivers, obstruct traffic signals, block sidewalks, or collapse if not engineered to city standards.
“Many also rely on unauthorised and dangerous electricity connections.”
Fihla confirmed that repeat offenders face escalating consequences, including fines, recovery of removal costs, increased rates penalties for landlords, and even criminal prosecution in severe cases. “Reinstalling a sign after removal is viewed as deliberate defiance.
“Such cases are escalated for legal action and possible blacklisting.”
Residents are encouraged to report illegal signage through official city channels, including JMPD by-law enforcement hotlines and the city’s anti-fraud units.
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