Despite the recent enforcement drive by Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) to remove illegal outdoor advertising along Winnie Mandela Drive, some advertisers appear undeterred, prompting further intervention by ward councillors.
On January 24, Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy, together with Ward 106 councillor Chris Santana, acted swiftly after residents alerted them to another attempt to construct an illegal billboard base along Winnie Mandela Drive.
Read more: Naked non-compliance in city billboard advert crackdown
“I, together with Santana, notified the Gauteng provincial department of roads and transport (GPDRT) about the audacious attempt to construct another illegal base to house a billboard,” said Reddy.
He confirmed that provincial authorities responded promptly. “I have been informed by provincial authorities that it was investigated, and the contractor’s work was stopped.
We were informed that the base will be demolished by GPDRT during the coming week.”
Reddy credited residents for bringing the issue to the attention of councillors. “I’d like to thank our eagle-eyed residents for advising us about this build.”
This latest incident follows a multi-departmental operation, led by JPC earlier this month, to remove illegally erected billboards along Winnie Mandela Drive.
That operation involved several city entities, including JMPD, Johannesburg Roads Agency, and City Power, focused on enforcing by-laws and protecting municipal revenue.
City manager Floyd Brink previously warned that the problem of illegal outdoor advertising has been escalating across Johannesburg. “The issue of illegal outdoor advertising has been growing, and it impacts both our compliance efforts and financial sustainability.”
He added that the outdoor advertising industry in the city is valued at nearly R5b, with the City of Johannesburg entitled to approximately 35% of that revenue. “This operation ensures that illegal boards are either brought into compliance or removed entirely.”
City officials have further indicated that similar enforcement operations are planned in other parts of Johannesburg in the coming weeks.
In a separate update, Reddy confirmed that contractors are currently on site repairing the traffic lights at the busy intersection of Witkoppen Road and Main Road. “Traffic lights and cables are being replaced and should be activated within the coming week.”
Reddy explained that his intervention followed an unplanned but timely engagement. After contacting Eskom regarding an unrelated issue, he became aware of a meeting taking place nearby while he was already in the area during oversight visits.
He used the unexpected opportunity to raise issues that had long concerned both residents and himself, a move that has now yielded results.
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