Illovo’s billboard headache refuses to fade
Residents say they have spent years fighting the glare from a giant digital screen at Illovo Junction, while the City of Johannesburg says a High Court ruling means it cannot take action against the signage.
Most billboards fade into the background — but for Illovo Junction residents, one giant digital screen is impossible to ignore.
Towering above the busy intersection of Corlett Drive and Oxford Road, the illuminated billboard dominates the skyline after sunset.
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While advertisers see a prime marketing space, residents said they see something very different: a relentless source of light that pours into their homes every night and a distraction for motorists navigating one of Johannesburg’s busiest intersections.
Resident Helien Gous, who lives next to Illovo Junction, said the problem has persisted for about 10 years.
“This giant billboard has made living here almost impossible. The brightness is extreme at night,” Gous said.
“It’s also at a busy intersection, which does affect people’s concentration, and because it’s so bright, it’s blinding people when passing through the really busy intersection.”
Gous said she has been reporting the issue to the City of Johannesburg since she moved into the area five years ago.
“In January 2023, the city confirmed that their records show no record of the application [for the billboard] being made or any approvals to date and confirmed this is an illegal sign and the law enforcement would be informed.”
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“This is really not great. It feels like having a light in your face the whole time at night. You’re asking [the property owner] to turn down the brightness; they try to do that every once in a while, but they do put it up to the normal brightness again.”
Responding to the Sandton Chronicle media enquiry regarding the concerns raised by residents, City of Johannesburg spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane said, “The city received complaints through the Department of Development Planning around 2022 and 2023 from residents of Illovo concerning illegal land use,” Modingoane said.
“Necessary investigation was carried out, and findings indeed revealed that land use contraventions were evident by then, and necessary action was instituted, calling upon compliance.”
According to Modingoane, while the original building plans included provision for a signboard or screen, an outdoor advertising application submitted by the property owner in 2014 was refused by the city in December 2017.
The grounds on which the application was rejected were that:
- The sign was not compatible with the immediate neighbourhood and its surrounds.
- It would interfere with the peace of the surrounding residences as evidenced by the large number of objections raised by members of the affected communities.
- The sign would distract motorists negotiating their way through the complex and busy intersection of Oxford Road and Corlett Drive.
- The sign would minimise the exposure of the traffic signs in the vicinity, presumably the traffic lights at the intersection.
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“On December 4, 2018, an appeal application lodged by the property owner was also refused by the city. Despite the city’s refusal of the application and subsequent opposition of a court application by the owner, the High Court granted the application.”
“On July 24, 2020, approval was granted in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Local Division, Johannesburg,” Modingoane said.
He added that no action would be instituted against the display of the outdoor advertising digital signage because approval has been granted by the High Court.
Modingoane clarifies contradiction between the timelines.
When Modingoane was asked why residents were advised that there was no record of an application or approval of the billboard in January 2023, Modingoane said, “At the time, the Outdoor Advertising team was not aware of the application, as the application process had progressed to the appeal stage, which was being handled by the city manager’s office.”
“In terms of Section 37 of the Outdoor Advertising By-law, 2009, appeals relating to outdoor advertising applications are primarily handled by the city manager.
Consequently, the matter had progressed beyond the operational level of the Outdoor Advertising team. At the time of the enquiry, the physical file relating to the application was also not available, as the officials who were aware of the matter had departed with the city.”
Sandton Chronicle reached out to Illovo Junction owner Nico Picone for comment from June 8 to August 20, but no comment had been received by the time of going to print.
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