Those who daub ‘safe abortion’ stickers on street signs, electrical boxes and walls in the central business district have made an enemy.
Their enemy is the Endumeni Municipality whose Technical Department has embarked on a massive clean-up of the offensive posters that have tarnished Dundee’s reputation as a tourist destination.
Maureen Botha, municipal signage control officer, led a team supported by Technical Services Manager, Lwazi Cindi, and Caiphas Mndaweni of the Parks and Gardens Department. Maureen was supported by a group of part-time workers from the Community Work programme.
Despite these efforts, it was reported on Monday that a new lot of stickers had already been plastered up in areas near the Magistrate’s Court (infamous for prostitution activities on the corner of Ann and Beaconsfield Streets) and in other areas.
Municipal officials believe the posters were put up in the early hours of the morning.
The long-awaited security cameras in the central business district would help to bring the ‘bill stickers’ to book. However, up until now, the proposal has been stuck with the powers-that-be.
It was Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, KZN Health MEC, who first led the campaign to rid Dundee and other towns of the abortion sticker scourge. On a visit last year to the town, MEC Dhlomo said that in 2015/16, 20 013 patients had been admitted to provincial hospitals due to ‘backyard abortions – of these, 1455 had turned septic.
“The proliferation of these posters poses a health risk to the young mothers and women. The promises of pain-free, quick abortions are false and these offensive posters must go.”