Municipalities have issued warnings to political parties to remove election materials. Image: Fotor
eThekwini Municipality to fine parties for failing to remove election posters
The eThekwini Municipality will charge political parties and independent candidates for failing to remove election posters.
Municipalities have issued warnings to political parties to remove election materials. Image: Fotor
The eThekwini Municipality says it will charge political parties and independent candidates just over R1000 for failing to remove election posters.
South Africa held historic polls on 29 May, and election posters must generally be removed within ten days after the election to avoid being penalised.
ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF ELECTION POSTERS
The municipality had urged political parties and independent candidates who were permitted to put up election posters in the metro to remove them before 30 June.
“Political parties and private candidates whose posters will not be removed after this date will be fined R1 193 per poster.
“Should political parties and independent candidates fail to remove posters during the stipulated period, the municipality will remove them and fine the party or candidate based on the number of posters removed,” the eThekwini Municipality emphasised.
HOW MUCH DO OTHER METROS CHARGE?
The City of Cape Town had instructed political parties to remove all election posters and banners by midnight on Saturday, 8 June, including the string or plastic attached to streetlight poles.
The metro municipality said posters that are not removed within the stipulated deadline will be removed by the City as of Monday, 10 June, at the political party’s cost of R134,10 per poster. In addition, the responsible political parties will be billed.
“The City kindly reminds political parties of the election poster removal rules that the administration shared with all in the run-up to the election. These are contained in the election rules document. Another reminder was sent on Friday, 31 May 2024.
“To recover any of the unauthorised election posters removed by the municipality, parties will need to liaise, during office hours, with the City’s Environmental Management Department officials to collect the posters,” the municipality said.
In the City of Ekurhuleni, political parties had until 12 June to remove all campaign material from public spaces. Spokesperson Zweli Dlamini told the Bedfordview and Edenvale News.
Dlamini explained that the removal of election posters within the grace period aligns with the city by-law, which states that posters cannot be displayed more than 14 days after an election.
“Parties are, therefore, urged to remove their election posters and any other election-related material/ illustrations by 12 June in all areas of the city,” Dlamini said.
The metro noted further that failure to comply may result in the City removing the posters themselves at a cost of R57.69 per poster, charged to the responsible party as per Schedule 19 of the 2023/24 financial year tariffs.
