Do I, as an owner of a business, have the right to errect my own advertisement on my own site? 

Yes, you have!  If you operate a business from a specific property, which is zoned to accommodate that kind of business, you do have the full right to erect an “On-Premises Advertising Sign”, on your building, or a loose standing sign.  Some business owners think that they may erect a sign of any size anywhere on their site, or sometimes even outside their erf inside the road reserve.  This is not correct.  In many cases there are uncertainties on what and where these boards may be erected. The Metro has rules, regulations and guidelines on how any advertisement, which is visible to the public, should look and where it may be located.

What is an On-Premises Business advertisement?

An On-Premises Business Advertisement means an advertisement aimed at identifying and locating business enterprises and industries.  This is stated in the “Policy on Outdoor Advertising Control”, approved by Council in July 2004.  If the sign is visible from any street or public place, it is seen as an outdoor advertising sign and approval should be obtained by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) prior to erecting such a sign.  The “Policy on Outdoor Advertising Control” of EMM contains detail on the requirements and criteria for On-Premises Business Advertisements, some of the main criteria include:

• Allowed in all areas of control.
• Only the following information may be displayed on the sign, with specific letter sizes:
  • the name and nature of business/ enterprise,
  • brand name of items for sale,
  • nature of service provided,
  • name of owner, proprietor, partner or practitioner,
• The size and height of signs allowed in this class, are as follows:
  • Size: Maximum control: Maximum area: 6m²
    Partial/ Minimum control: Maximum area: 12m²
  • Height: Maximum control: Maximum height: 7m
    Partial/ Minimum control: Maximum height: 7.5m (may be increased to10m if allowed in town planning scheme)
  • Sponsor name/logo: Maximum of 1/3 of total sign area,
• The position and spacing requirements for this class of sign are as follows:
  • Only locality bound ads, this implies that no third party sign will be allowed;
  • A sign may only be free-standing for specific conditions;
  • One sign/ one panel per enterprise, or one per entrance (max two);
  • Road side enterprises: > 5m from road reserve;
  • Placed close to enterprise or if not close or visible from road, then at entrance road;
  • Preference will be given to combination signs.
• The position and spacing requirements for this class of sign are as follows:
  • Only locality bound ads, this implies that no third party sign will be allowed;
  • A sign may only be free-standing for specific conditions;
  • One sign/ one panel per enterprise, or one per entrance (max two);
  • Road side enterprises: > 5m from road reserve;
  • Placed close to enterprise or if not close or visible from road, then at entrance road;
• Preference will be given to combination signs.
• These signs may be illuminated but not animated.
•  Free-standing structures will only be allowed:
  • Where the building housing an enterprise is situated relatively far back from the road or street onto which it faces and passing motorists or pedestrians may have difficulty in noticing any signs affixed to such a building;
  • In cases where it is not structurally possible or visually feasible to affix appropriate signs;
  • Where such a sign is needed to locate the entrance to business premises or the private access road to a business;
  • Where a free-standing combination sign may prevent the proliferation of signs.
• In rural and natural areas the need for On-Premises Business signs may be reduced by making use of brown tourism signs.
• Signs shall not have in their design any letters, figure, symbols or similar features over 0,75m in height in areas of partial and minimum control, and over 0,35m in areas of maximum control.
• A sign permitted by this class shall not serve as an advance sign and shall be displayed only on the premises where the business is conducted.

What should you as owner of the business do?

If you have already transgressed the Policy in any way or if you want to erect advertisement advertising your business on the site where you are operating from, you can obtain application forms and pay the relevant fees at your nearest Service Delivery Regional offices.  Advice, as well as full detail on the Policy, criteria and requirements on the specific sign that you want to erect, can be obtained from these offices.  If any illegal signs are observed by the Outdoor Advertising Regional Office, the sign may be removed and you as the owner of the sign will be fined due to the offence.

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