Metro cops remove illegal boards
Community members in Strubens Valley have been upset about Metro Police removing illegal notice boards, but doing nothing about the alleged drug dealing in the same vicinity.
In Strubens Valley authorities were, from what it seemed, more concerned about whether a notice board was legal than the illegal trading that was taking place under the same board.
This was according to Hennie Schreuder of the LIFCO Community Board. “The boards are apparently erected illegally and Metro police removed them without informing us. We would have removed it ourselves,” he said.
Now the two boards that were erected in Strubens Valley were not usable any more.
“This is after it cost R20 000 to get them up. Those boards were to convey important notices and dates to the community. I do not understand why they focus on removing something that is of good use to the public.”
To re-erect the notice boards would amount to another R7 000.
According to Schreuder the guidelines the city council gave him were that the boards must be smaller.
“That is why the Metro police cut it to size when they removed it.”
An advertiser has to get permission regarding the position where they want to erect a board, and an advertisement must not cover more than a third of the board, Schreuder was told.
Metro police spokesperson superintendent Wayne Minnaar said advertisers were not allowed to have more than one sign outside of a property according to the city council bylaws. He said Metro police would respond to claims of drug dealing if it was brought to the attention of the director of internal affairs, Abel Nkosi.
Details: abeln@joburg.org.za or 011 758 9128
