A battle pitting beauty against business is building up over a new High Street signboard. A Grahamstown businessman is digging in his heels as officials warn that he could face a fine and be ordered to remove a prominent signboard from his new clothing outlet on the corner of Hill Street and High Street.
A battle pitting beauty against business is building up over a new High Street signboard. A Grahamstown businessman is digging in his heels as officials warn that he could face a fine and be ordered to remove a prominent signboard from his new clothing outlet on the corner of Hill Street and High Street.
The signboard outside Fashion World has infuriated municipal officials, who say the owners failed to follow the correct procedures before erecting it. But on Friday Ismail Amod, the outlet's regional manager, insisted they had not been informed of any restrictions before they put up their sign.
Amod told Grocott's Mail that while they respected municipal rules, nothing had been brought to their attention regarding the need to get permission to put up their board. Amod said there was nothing offensive about their sign and that he therefore saw nothing wrong with it.
Municipal spokesperson Thandy Matebese said the Council's aesthetics committee's function was to preserve the “look and feel” of Makana Municipality. It looks at issues like signage, type of building, preservation of the architecture of the historical buildings and areas, etc, Matebese said in an emailed reply to questions from Grocott's Mail.
A developer or business is expected to seek approval from the committee before they do any work which might have an impact on the above-mentioned. He said the committee dealt with requests and when permission was granted, the applicant could implement what they'd asked for. He said in cases where permission was not granted, the applicant was informed and reasons given.
Matebese said if an applicant went ahead without the approval of a committee, they could be fined or be ordered to have the signage removed. "We categorically respect the rules of the municipality, but we were not informed of any bylaw that restricts us from putting up the signage," Amod told Grocott's Mail, adding that the board had cost him a lot of money. "Putting up the signage was a business decision. Today in business we need to advertise."
