Adhere to Election Poster Rules or you will be fined, warns City of Cape Town

With the upcoming 2024 National and Provincial Elections, there is no doubt that political parties will do anything in their power to secure votes, especially to overthrow the Democratic Alliance (DA) who runs the City of Cape Town, as well as the Western Cape.

The City of Cape Town has however warned political parties erecting election posters on street poles across Cape Town, to follow the rules as stated in the Election Poster Rules.

According to the municipality, some parties are erecting more than one political party poster per pole which contravenes the Election Poster Rules.

PICTURE: (Archived) EFF Cape Metro

In terms of the Election Rules for posters during voter registration and the General Election, political parties are allowed to only erect one poster per street light. Furthermore, posters may not be erected on traffic signal poles, electrical or service authority distribution boxes, or poles with road traffic signs, any other street furniture, walls, trees, rocks or natural features, or any other poles other than streetlight poles.

 

The poster rules includes:

·        Although there is no limit on the number of political party posters permitted, only one election poster per party per light pole is allowed and only one additional event poster (e.g. a poster advertising a meeting or rally), per party per light pole

·        Posters may not be put onto bus stop signs, street name signs or any poles carrying traffic signs

·        Posters are to be mounted on a board and affixed securely with stout string or plastic fastening unless a permanent frame has been approved for this purpose. No securing material with a metal content is permitted

·        No pasted posters are permitted

·        Posters may not exceed 0,9m x 0,6m (AO and the main lettering height must be at least 50mm

·        No commercial content is permitted on any political posters and the name of the party responsible for the display must appear on the poster.

·        Posters are not permitted on electrical distribution boxes, any street furniture (e.g. bus shelters), walls, fences, trees, rocks or other natural features

·        Posters are prohibited on any bridge

·        Posters may not be displayed along freeway sections on the N1, N2, N7 and the R300

‘’If the City or IEC gets notified in writing of a poster contravention relating to a political party, the offending political party will be notified by the City of such contravention by e-mail and will be given 48 hours to remove or remedy the contravention,’’ said the City.

‘’The City will remove illegal posters at the political party's cost, should these not be removed within the 48 hour period at a cost of R134,10 per poster and R194 for any pasted poster,’’ it added.

 

Done By: Mitchum George