City tightens grip on illegal billboards

The City of Johannesburg's Development Planning and the Joburg Property Company (JPC) have welcomed the positive response from media owners who are now coming forward as the entity intensifies its crackdown on illegal outdoor advertising.

Speaking during an operation conducted at Winnie Mandela Drive (corner Republic Road and Winnie Mandela Drive) on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, JPC CEO Musah Makhunga said the City is encouraged by the growing number of media owners who are engaging proactively with authorities.

“We have met with several media owners who have come forward to declare their structures and begin settling outstanding payments owed to the City. They are also committing to comply with municipal by-laws when erecting outdoor advertising billboards," said Makhunga.

He added that the City remains firm in its efforts to enforce compliance. “Our operations are targeting illegal signs as well as unlawful connections to City Power infrastructure," he said.

Since the commencement of the operation, the City has removed a total of 41 illegal billboards. Some of the removed billboards had previously been disconnected from the City Power electricity grid two weeks ago due to illegal connections but were found to have been unlawfully reconnected.

The operation is a collaborative effort involving City Power, the Joburg Property Company, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), City of Johannesburg Development Planning, and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA).

The City urges media owners and outdoor advertising agencies not to support companies operating without the necessary approvals, as efforts to clamp down on illegal outdoor advertising across Johannesburg continue to intensify.

Written by Zingiswa Mndayi
25/03/2026

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