A payment must be made before any poster, banner, placard, billboard, notice or device employed for advertising on or off the wall is displayed in Masvingo, new by-laws stipulate.
In the Government Gazette released last Friday, Local Government and Public Works minister Winston Chitando approved the by-laws made by the Masvingo City Council.
“No person shall, without the permission of the council, place, exhibit or display, or cause to be placed, exhibited or displayed, upon a road or public place any advertisement, whether — (a) in a stationary position; or building or perimeter wall; or on a sandwich board, vehicle, or other movable devices; or reflecting position or wall; or any movable device not in transit and between the place where it is not ordinarily kept and the place not approved by the council for the exhibition or display of the advertisement thereon,” the Government Gazette read.
“No person shall erect or place an advertisement on a building, land or public place without paying advertisement fees prescribed by the council through an order.”
For one to exhibit an advert, he or she must make a written application to obtain permission.
The by-law gave the city council the right to approve different conditions or reject applications with mentioned reasons for advert exhibitions.
“Council may at anytime restrict the number of advertisement signs on any building, land, road which falls under the administration of the council or public place,” the notice read. “The council may at anytime revoke any permission granted in terms of subsection (2) or alter any conditions imposed in connection with the grant of such permission.”
The owner of the advert has only 24 hours to remove the advert when the contract expires, and the city council can charge a fee if it removes the advert on behalf of the owner.
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Advertisers will be exempt from seeking council approval if the advertisement is painted or fixed to the body of an omnibus or commercial vehicle if it is in a designated area.
“No person shall place, exhibit or display any advertisement on any electricity standard, parking metre standard, tree, traffic sign, bridge, road furniture, traffic circle, traffic island belonging to or under the control of the council; or in such a position as to cause any hazard or obstruction to drivers or pedestrians; or in such a position as to cause a nuisance to adjoining property owners and the public; or on any building, land, road, public place prohibited by the council for such advertisement,” the Gazette states.
The by-law, however, allows anyone to display adverts relating to electoral events or display adverts from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on trees which are situated on any road.
