GCC reviews billboard bylaws
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday February 20, 2019 09:20
According to GCC, most billboards in the city are illegal and have been failing to collect the rental fees from the advertisers. They said the existing regulations are complicated, expensive and the process is not efficient.
When responding to a question by the Member of Parliament for Gaborone North constituency Haskins Nkaigwa about the action that will be taken against illegal billboards, GCC mayor Kagiso Thutlwe said once the new regulations are complete, companies will be forced to apply to have a billboard.
“It is true we have illegal billboards around the city and some of the cases with the owners of billboards are still in court. The old regulation process to take action against the owners was complicated and very expensive. That is why the council is forced to re-visit the regulations. The owners of illegal billboards owe council a lot of money while some could not be traced,” Thutlwe said.
Nkaigwa asked the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi to brief Parliament on the total number of illegal billboards in Gaborone, which companies in the city own the billboards and the number of billboards owned by each company. He also wanted to know the number of billboards that are owned by youth companies and what action will be taken against companies, which erect illegal billboards.
“I want to know why the number of illegal billboards continues to increase in the city despite the existence of bylaws, which regulate erection of billboards. If there is any law that hinders the bylaws from doing the job then Parliament should look into it. Council could be making money with these billboards,” Nkaigwa said.