Campaigning for National Assembly election starts-Commission reinforces poster rules |09 September 2011

A communiqué signed by the commission’s chairman Hendrick Gappy said the commission has this week amended and reinforced the existing guidelines for the display of posters and billboards.

“Such guidelines are necessary in order to allow this medium of campaigning to take place and all parties and candidates are treated fairly and have the same opportunities to exercise their right to campaign,” said the communiqué.

“A2 size posters should be on a solid board and can be fixed not lower than 2.5m from the ground on electricity posts on the public roads. Only one poster per party or candidate is allowed on each post.

“No posters should be glued to any post nor should any paint be used.”
The commission said billboards of maximum size 8ft x 4ft can be located at specific locations on public property and only one billboard is allowed per party or independent candidate.

“Such billboards are also allowed on private property subject to obtaining written permission from the owner of the property.”

Only one billboard larger than 8ft x 4ft is allowed for each political party or independent candidate and this can only be located on the premises of the party headquarters or the registered office of the independent candidate, it said.

“Any of these posters or billboards should not in any way cause any danger, potential danger or hindrance to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.”

No government – including parastatal – property should be used to display posters or billboards.

The communiqué said the full details of these guidelines have been provided to all the contesting candidates.

Political parties and independent candidates are required to lodge deposits of R20,000 per political party and R2500 per independent candidate with the Electoral Commission and these deposits can be used to cover the cost of removal of such campaign material if they are found not to conform to these guidelines.

The general public have been requested to show respect to these posters and billboards and refrain from vandalising them, so that the campaign can run in a peaceful and orderly manner.