Zim Now Writer
The Harare City Council has barred eight advertising firms from erecting advertising billboards around the city due to their outstanding debts to the local authority.
Besides being banned, JC Decaux, Alliance Media, Advertising Industries, Primedia, Askeland Media, AXA Holdings, Perpetual Advertising and MED Lighting Solutions have all been warned to remove any illegal signage, within 48 hours, failure of which the City of Harare will remove it and charge the removal costs to the affected parties.
The Council has resumed the issuance of billboard sites to new companies, but the delinquent firms have been excluded from the process until they settle their debts.
Council has also warned companies against erecting structures without permits and approved plans.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Innocent Ruwende, said the last Council meeting agreed to engage new companies, which are willing to pay, compared to the conventional players.
He warned individuals and companies that are continuing with the practice of erecting illegal signage on the road sides.
“The City of Harare has noted with concern the mushrooming of illegal billboards and illegal directional signage on council road verges.
“Offenders have been ordered to remove the illegal signage, including mural advertising; and billboards or risk being arrested and penalised, “ said Ruwende.
According to Harare by-laws, it is illegal to erect billboards or any structure within the City of Harare’s jurisdiction without a permit and approved plans.
This is not the first time the City of Harare has been compelled to act and remove illegal billboards.
In 2019, companies that erected billboards without approval were forced to regularise their structures, while some of the billboards were pulled down.
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