A Storm is brewing in our sleepy little town after an advertising signboard erected by an estate agent was mysteriously taken down. The debacle regarding advertising boards started when Elsabe Jacobs, EMJ Properties, erected an advertising board at the Umjindi-Nelspruit intersection. She placed it next to two existing signboards on Saturday, April 16, after the municipality gave the necessary authorization. One of the others belonged to Directosign, a national company that erects route directional indicators countrywide.

On Monday morning, April 18, her board had been taken down and left on the ground. The same day Marius Willemse, a Directosign consultant, informed Elsabe that the department of Roads and Transport would probably remove her signboard because it had been illegally erected on the road reserve. She said he told her that his company could legally place her signboard at the same spot, because the company is contracted to the municipality, to erect signboards in town. He also told her that hers had probably already been removed. In the ensuing argument various accusations were made.

According to Elsabe, Marius threatened her with court action if she approached the media. “If it is illegal to erect an advertising signboard on a road reserve, why was only my board removed?” Elsabe asked Barberton Times. When she contacted the department of Roads and Transport regarding Willemse’s allegations, the department visited the intersection and denied involvement in the signage removal.

When Barberton Times spoke to Marius about the allegations he threatened the newspaper with legal action. He said that he tried to explain to Elsabe why she should make use of their company, but she did not want to comply. Faan Delport, regional manager Directosign, informed the newspaper that his company did not remove her signage. He said that his company provides a service to the municipality as well as the community and that certain procedures had to be followed before a signboard could be removed.

According to Kennith Dlango Mndla, spokesman at the department of Roads and Transport, signage on the road reserve of a provincial road are not allowed according to act 21 of 1940 of the Road Ordinance act. The road reserve extends approximately 16 meters from the centre of the road on either side. It is also illegal to erect a visible advertising signboard on a provincial road without prior authorization from the department. Each application is individually considered.

An informed source at the department told Barberton Times that many of the boards along the provincial roads were illegal. Faan admitted that their “Welcome to Barberton” board at the intersection was illegal “It came to our notice that there seems to be a grey area with regard to the jurisdiction of the road reserve between the municipality and the department,” he said. Their company applied for respite from the department and awaits the outcome.

According to Johan Badenhorst, section head Umjindi legal and public safety services, the municipality had an agreement with Directosign and businesses should apply to the council to have signboards erected.

Various types and sizes of signboards make the town look untidy and the council is in the process of establishing uniformity.

Elsabe opened a case of malicious damage to property at the local SAPS.