[imagesource: Thomas Holder / EWN]

In early 2016, a huge ‘Zuma Must Fall’ billboard appeared in Cape Town’s city centre at the bottom of Kloof Street.

At first, it was unclear who was behind the erection until the group responsible came forward and said that the aim was to continue a conversation “we promised to keep going, which was about leadership”.

Cue outrage and drama and anger from Zuma supporters who stormed the building and tore the billboard down.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a ‘Stay home if you can’ billboard was then erected in the same place, which also caused headaches for the man responsible.

Fast forward to early 2022 (still sounds weird to say that) and the latest via TimesLIVE:

The Cape Town building on which a gigantic “Zuma Must Fall” billboard was erected in 2016 is the subject of a recent high court judgment…

Image: Mauro Matalone

The body corporate of the building sued Independent Outdoor Media, whose business is  “the display and management of advertising signs and space on behalf of various clients for monetary reward”, and which had a contract to use the lucrative advertising space.

The body corporate argued that the contract between the two ended in 2005, whereas the advertising company claimed that “authorisations have not lapsed and remain valid in perpetuity”.

The City of Cape Town was also involved, having previously insisted in 2016 that the ‘Zuma Must Fall’ billboard contravened outdoor advertising and signage by-laws while arguing that “any further use of this advertising space is and remains unlawful”.

Those two lawsuits were combined and Judge Derek Willie presided:

Willie declared sections of the Building Standards Act inconsistent with the constitution. He also ruled that the “‘Overbeek Signs’ are not approved under the Building Standards Act or under any of the applicable municipal by-laws”.

Image: Chad Nathan

“The [advertising company] is hereby ordered to remove at its own costs … and any advertisements that they may support within 15 court days from the date of the service of this order upon the [advertising company] by the [city],” he ruled.

Should the advertising company fail to do so within the prescribed time limit, the Sheriff of the High Court can get involved in removing the signs.

In the end, it appears ‘Zuma Must Fall’ must fall.

Never mind that the crook is enjoying his freedom despite the Gauteng High Court ruling that the decision to place the former president on medical parole was unlawful.

[source:timeslive]