In response to AfriForum illegally hoisting ”Go Home Mugabe” posters in front of the Union Buildings, the City of Tshwane on Friday reiterated it would be firm in implementing advertising by-laws.
Spokesperson for the Community Safety Department Console Tleane said the city had acted accordingly by removing the posters that called for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe not to attend Jacob Zuma’s inauguration as president.
Chief executive Kallie Kriel, who headed the poster campaign, said on Thursday that Mugabe was a human rights violator and should not be granted a visa to enter the country. Shortly after, metro police removed the signs that Kriel and others had hung on Church street in front of the Union Buildings.
They also served Kriel with a fine.
”Upon establishing the fact that the posters were being hoisted illegally the metro police ordered that the posters be removed,” said Tleane.
”The fines were issued for an illegal action which had and was taking place.”
The city also lashed out at Kriel for comments he made to the Citizen newspaper that a senior member of the department acted like ”Mugabe’s police”.
”[It] is shocking. Not only is this claim a gross exaggeration of the intervention made by senior management, it is also undermining.
”The claim is also an attempt to divert attention away from the core issue, which is the disregard and breaking of the law.”
It was further ”disturbing” that Kriel had told the daily newspaper that he would not be paying the R2nbsp;500 fine and would rather opt to go to court.
”This is clear disregard for the laws of the country. The city’s by-law on Control of Outdoor Advertising, which was promulgated in 2006, is clear on what [can] and what cannot be done,” said Tleane.
He said the by-law also outlined all the processes required for the applications and for the technical specifications for advertising materials.
One of the general provisions states: ”No person shall erect, maintain or display a sign or allow any other person to erect, maintain or display a sign in a place or on a building or structure that is visible from any public space without the consent of the municipality.”
Tleane said no organisation had applied for any posters or demonstration that related to the inauguration.
”The department will therefore continue with its stated mandate of by-law enforcement. This includes issuing out fines to any party that may be found to be in violation of any by-law,” said Tleane. — Sapa