Where have all the banners gone in Mbombela?

MBOMBELA – So far, 19 banners highlighting different events happening around the city have been stolen. Naranda Leeuwner, who is member of the air show’s committee, said they had lost four of them.

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“Never in the past has this ever happened. This is the first year that our banners have been stolen. The last one was stolen on Tuesday night near Westend Shopping Centre.”

She added that because some people did not have either access to the Internet or read newspapers, banners are still an important way to inform the public about events. Leeuwner said she was in the process of reporting the matter to the police.

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Sappi regional communications manager, Elsabé Coetzee said they had lost nine banners which were advertising their upcoming Mother’s Day event on Sunday. “We had allocated the banners all over the city. After the weekend, we had one left in Mbombela, the rest were all gone.”

She said the costs of a banner; for design plus municipal fees to place them in the city; worked out to around R2 500 each.

“We did a survey and found that it was the third most important way to inform people of an event.”

Coetzee said when they had heard that it could have been the homeless taking the banners, “I saw this as an opportunity for us to help those less fortunate. So together with an organisation that assists the homeless, I went and spoke to the street children. To help them and our event, we have promised them that after the concert, they could use the banners.” Coetzee said she had gone to police to open a case of theft.

Event organiser for the Lowveld Gin and the Avo and Margarita Festival, Belinda Erasmus said they had lost six banners.

“The Friday before the gin festival, the banner that we had placed near the Crossing Centre was gone.”

For the Avo and Margarita Festival, which is taking place on Saturday, five of their banners placed around the city were stolen.

“After this experience, I am not sure if we will ever use them again to advertise events.”

Erasmus said they had reported the matter to the municipality and were told that they had put the banners up at their own risk.

“I am not sure then why we have to pay a fee to the municipality.”

Mbombela municipality spokesman, Joseph Ngala, was not reachable for comment. Police spokesman Capt Zandile Gwaqa also failed to comment at the time of going to press.