City welcomes ruling declaring advertising signage along N2 unlawful

31 March 2026

The City of Cape Town welcomes the ruling of the Western Cape High Court on Friday, 27 March 2026, declaring the outdoor advertising sign from Jinja2 Outdoor Advertising along the N2 highway in contravention of the approvals granted by the City in terms of the Outdoor Advertising By-law of 2023 and the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (NBR).

The Western Cape High Court has instructed Jinja2 Outdoor Advertising to, within seven days, comply with the approvals in terms of the City’s Outdoor Advertising By-law and the NBR, or to remove the signage.

The court has also ordered Jinja2 and the Trustees of the Horizon Property Trust (the property owner) to pay the City’s legal costs.

The freestanding electronic billboard along the N2 highway, targeting eastbound traffic, is bigger than the dimensions that were approved by the City last year. Jinja2 applied for and was granted approval for a sign of 18m² and 7,5m high, but in the end constructed a sign of 36m² at 10,5m high.

The City approached the Western Cape High Court after Jinja2 ignored the notices that the City issued in June and July last year to comply with the by-law and the approvals that were granted.

‘We welcome the judgment and implore the sign owner to comply with the ruling. The by-law regulates outdoor advertising in a manner that facilitates economic opportunities, but is also sensitive to Cape Town’s natural and cultural environment, and road safety. The by-law guides the City when we assess applications and I encourage all to please comply with this by-law. I also want to make it clear that the City will not hesitate to approach the courts when advertising companies contravene the by-law,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office