Bryanston residents reach breaking point over illegal hoardings
A massive billboard erected without approval near Bryanston Shopping Centre has become the flashpoint for growing anger among residents, who accuse the City of Johannesburg of allowing suburbs to be despoiled by illegal signs, corruption and neglect.
The ongoing proliferation of illegal billboards, hoardings and advertising clutter across Bryanston has pushed residents to the brink, with many accusing the City of Johannesburg of outright negligence.
And in some cases, complicity, in letting suburban areas deteriorate into what they describe as visual pollution and urban decay.
The tipping point came when a massive, unapproved hoarding was erected at the corner of Winnie Mandela Drive and Ballyclare Drive, directly adjacent to the Bryanston Shopping Centre.
Residents said the erecting of the structure had been repeatedly stopped since late 2024, but was ultimately completed in the middle of the night, despite dozens of complaints, JMPD callouts and warnings from the local councillor, Lynda Shackelford.
Read more: Johannesburg municipal departments unite to tackle Sandown illegal occupation
Long-time Bryanston resident Jacci Babich said the situation has become intolerable. “How would you like to drive out of your home in the morning and see this massive hoarding hiding your local shopping centre, and the surroundings in a disgusting state? Enough is enough.”
She added that residents feel betrayed by the very authorities meant to protect their neighbourhoods. “Joburg has been shamefully laid waste by incompetence and corruption,” she alleged. “Those responsible don’t give a toss about maintenance or by-law enforcement. We want the Metro to account for every cent they are making from outdoor advertising, and where it is being spent.”
Babich argues that excessive billboards are not only an eyesore but a mental and physical danger. “Visual pollution contributes to stress, anxiety and driver distraction. How are we supposed to navigate potholed, unmarked, unlit roads while being blinded at night by giant flashing billboards?”
Ward 103 councillor Lynda Shackelford: “A year of complaints and zero action”
Shackelford confirmed that the billboard at the shopping centre is illegal, with no approved documentation.
“The only letter I ever saw was an application from 2024, never an approval. To my knowledge, there was no public participation process. Residents and I have reported this structure to the city repeatedly, but no positive response has ever been received.”
Shackelford described months of frustrating enforcement attempts. “Contractors broke the lock on the pavement fence multiple times. JMPD was called out at least seven times between late 2024 and March 2025. On one occasion, they even impounded vehicles and tools. But the contractors simply waited for nightfall and came back.”
Also read: Sandown residents and businesses to combat the Sandspruit River crisis
She said the hoarding was finally erected secretly during the night in June/July 2025. “It is now a year later. Numerous emails, calls and questions to the city and nothing. Meanwhile, advertising has already begun on the sign. Where is the money going? Why is nothing being done?”
Shackelford highlighted a broader crisis. “There are so many illegal billboards across my ward, some dating back to 2021. Contractors receive a slap on the wrist and come back again and again. Companies don’t verify whether billboards are legal before advertising on them. This is a city-wide problem.”
A suburb under siege
Residents said Bryanston is being swamped by advertising clutter:
- Huge illuminated billboards blinding drivers at intersections,
- Mobile advertising trailers popping up on pavements,
- Posters and placards lining once green verges,
- And massive hoardings dwarfing suburban properties.
They argue that Sandton and Bryanston now resemble ‘a weed-infested junkyard’, despite being some of the highest-contributing regions to Johannesburg’s rate base.
Also read: Pristine streets for guests, chaos for Ward 109 residents
Residents have begun boycotting the products advertised on illegal billboards, while others call for strict limits on the number and size of advertising structures allowed in suburban areas.
A sign of deeper decay
The median opposite Bryanston Shopping Centre on Winnie Mandela Drive is described as a ‘wreck’, while the area around Ballyclare Drive has attracted vendors, litter and loiterers. Residents believe the chaos is a direct reflection of the city’s increasingly dysfunctional management.
Growing demand: remove illegal signs and restore the suburb
Residents and their councillor want:
- Immediate removal of illegal structures,
- Strict enforcement and heavy fines,
- Limits on the number, size and lighting of billboards,
- A ban on offensive or inappropriate advertising in family areas,
- Public participation for all proposed hoardings,
- Transparency about where advertising revenue goes,
- and restoration of clean, green verges and medians.
As frustration grows, Bryanston residents said they are prepared to escalate the fight. “We want our neat, clean, well-maintained suburb back,” Babich concluded.
The Sandton Chronicle reached out to City of Johannesburg spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane for a comment on December 4 and 8, but none has been received. An update will be provided once it is available.
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!
