The conditions and principles contained in this subsection are relevant to all sign types with certain exceptions as indicated.
5.1.1 Amenity and Decency
(a) No sign, as permitted by SAMOAC, shall in the opinion of the controlling authority –
(i) be detrimental to the environment or to the amenity and local character of a human living environment by reason of size, shape, color, the intensity of illumination, quality of design or materials or for any other reason;
(ii) unreasonably obscure, partially or wholly, any sign owned by another person previously erected and legally displayed; or
(iii) be in its content objectionable, indecent or suggestive of indecency or prejudicial to the public morals.
(b) No sign or advertisement shall be displayed if deemed unacceptable by the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA).
5.1.2 Safety
(a) No advertisement or advertising structure, as permitted by SAMOAC,
(i) shall in the opinion of the controlling authority constitute a danger to any person or property;
(ii) shall in the opinion of the roads authority be so placed or contain an element which distracts the attention of drivers in a manner likely to lead to unsafe driving conditions;
(iii) shall in the opinion of the roads authority be illuminated to the extent that it causes discomfort to or inhibits the vision of approaching pedestrians or drivers;
(iv) shall be attached to a road traffic sign or signal, combined with a road traffic sign or signal [unless specifically provided for in the Southern African Development Community Road Traffic Signs Manual (SADC-RTSM) or the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual (SARTSM)], obscure a road traffic sign or signal, create confusion with a road traffic sign or signal, interfere with the functioning of a road traffic sign or signal or create a road safety hazard in the opinion of the roads authority;
(v) shall in the opinion of the roads authority obscure a pedestrian’s or driver’s view of pedestrians, road or rail vehicles and features of the road, railway or pavement such as junctions, bends and changes in width;
(vi) shall project over a pedestrian or cycle circulation route, unless the clear height of such sign exceeds 2,3 m;
(vii) shall obstruct any fire escape or the means of egress to a fire escape or obstruct or interfere with any window or opening required for ventilation purposes;
(viii) shall exceed the minimum clearance with regard to overhead power lines as prescribed in regulation 15 of the Electrical Machinery Regulations (GN R1593 in GG. 11458 of 12 August 1988 as amended). (Permission must be obtained from the 5.1 General Conditions and Principles SAMOAC AUGUST 2010 53 relevant supply authority before any advertising structure may be erected in a power line servitude);
(ix) shall, if affixed or attached, be affixed or attached in any way that may constitute a danger to the public.
(b) Signs or advertisements positioned along roads and specifically targeting the road user shall be concise and legible and shall comply with the following requirements:
(i) No sign displaying a single advertisement or message shall exceed 10 “bits” of information. No combination sign or any other sign displaying more than one advertisement or message shall contain more than 6 “bits” of information per enterprise, service or property or per individual advertisement or message displayed on a combination sign. Every 5 letters or numbers (digits) shall be counted as one bit of information and every symbol or logo as half a bit of information.
(ii) Street numbers indicating specific premises shall have a minimum size of 200 mm and a maximum size of 500-750 mm.
(iii) No message shall be spread across more than one sign or sign panel.
(c) The colors red, amber or green shall not be displayed on any advertisement or sign which is positioned within the line of sight of any traffic signal aspect if viewed from a distance where the relevant aspect should be conspicuous, as required in Volume 3 of the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual.
5.1.3 Design and Construction
Any sign, as permitted by SAMOAC –
(i) shall, in the opinion of the controlling authority, be neatly and properly constructed and executed and finished in a workmanlike manner;
(ii) shall, in the opinion of the controlling authority, not be detrimental to or have a negative aesthetic impact on the urban design, streetscape or the character of the surrounding area by way of the design of the structure or device;
(iii) shall, in the opinion of the controlling authority, have a neat appearance and shall consist of durable materials in accordance with the function, nature and permanence of the advertisement, sign or structure and materials such as cloth, canvas, vinyl, cardboard, paper or synthetic cardboard should be used only when essential to the nature and function of a particular sign;
(iv) shall, in the opinion of the controlling authority, not deface building facades with electrical services provisions and other accessories;
(v) shall in the opinion of the controlling authority, have a neat and professional appearance in terms of advertisement content and signwriting (untidy handwritten messages should be avoided);
(vi) shall, in the opinion of the controlling authority, be rigidly and securely attached, supported or anchored in a safe manner and so that unwanted movement in any direction is prevented; 5.1 General Conditions and Principles SAMOAC AUGUST 2010 54
(vii) shall be capable of effectively securing, supporting and maintaining not less than twice it’s mass with the addition of any force to which the sign may be subjected, including wind pressure;
(viii) shall wherever necessary in accordance with the nature of the sign and when attached to brickwork, masonry or concrete, be securely and effectively attached thereto by means of bolts securely embedded in such brickwork, masonry or concrete or passing through the same and secured on the opposite side;
(ix) shall, when attached to conservation-worthy buildings, be attached with the necessary expert advice in order to prevent damage to such buildings;
(x) shall, if painted, be painted with weatherproof paint of good quality.
(b) Any advertiser or media owner –
(i) shall not use water-soluble adhesive, adhesive tape or similar material to display or secure any sign or advertisement elsewhere than on a billboard, board or any structure provided for this purpose;
(ii) shall not use wire or nails to attach a sign;
(iii) shall have all exposed metalwork of any sign painted or otherwise treated to prevent corrosion and all timber treated to prevent decay; and
(iv) shall have measures taken to prevent the entry of water into and the accumulation of water or moisture on or in any sign or any part of its supporting framework, brackets or other members.
(c) Glass
(i) All glass used in signs (other than glass tubing used in neon and similar signs) shall be safety glass at least 3 mm thick.
(ii) Glass panels used in signs shall not exceed 0,90 m2 in area, each panel is securely fixed in the body of the sign, structure or device independently of all other panels.
(d) Electrical (i) Every illuminated sign and every sign in which electricity is used –
(aa) shall have power cables and conduit containing electrical conductors positioned and fixed so that they are not unsightly in the opinion of the controlling authority;
(bb) shall be constructed of material which is not combustible;
(cc) shall be provided with an external switch in an accessible position whereby the electricity supply to the sign may be switched off; and
(dd) shall be wired and constructed in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the controlling authority’s electricity supply by-laws and any other legislation applicable to electric signs.
(ii) All signs that could interfere with radio or television reception must be equipped with 5.1 General Conditions and Principles SAMOAC AUGUST 2010 55 suppressors that eliminate all forms of interference.
(e) Damage to Property and Vegetation
(i) No person shall, in the course of erecting or removing any sign, advertisement, structure or device, cause damage to any tree, electrical standard or service or other public installation or property.
(ii) Media owners will accept responsibility for all trees within the line of sight of signs or advertising structures. If any such trees are removed, cut down or trimmed down without the permission of the controlling authority, the relevant media owner will be responsible for replacing it in accordance with specifications laid down by the controlling authority.
(f) The construction of any sign as permitted by SAMOAC shall be done in accordance with the Construction Regulations (GN R1010 in GG 25207 of 18 July 2003)
Maintenance
(a) Any sign, as permitted by SAMOAC –
(i) shall be serviced on a regular basis; and
(ii) shall be maintained in good repair and in a safe, clean and neat condition and according to the highest standards as regards quality of structures, posting, signwriting, and general sign content. (b) The owner of any land or building on which a sign is displayed or erected, or to which a sign is attached, and the owner of any such sign shall be jointly and severally responsible for the maintenance in a safe and proper condition and for the cleaning and the repainting of any such sign.
(c) The maintenance of any sign and the replacement of any sign contents shall be done in accordance with the Construction Regulations (GN R1010 in GG 25207 of 18 July 2003) and the General Safety Regulations (GN R1031 in GG 10252 of 30 May 1986 as amended).
Position and Location
(a) Signs within road reserves (including site boundary signage) shall be restricted to the absolute minimum. The following principles shall be applied in this regard:
(i) In order to prevent advertising clutter and information overload within the immediate road environment, which may compete with road signs and signals, masses of smaller signs should be avoided by allowing a limited number of acceptable signs of larger proportions instead.
(ii) If the display of any advertisement or sign within a road reserve, is not in the general interest of the public, traffic safety principles will dictate whether such a sign can be allowed or not.
(b) Restricted areas at street corners should be seen as the most sensitive areas in terms of road safety and the consideration of any sign-in such areas shall take place with the greatest of discretion.
(c) Signs, as permitted by SAMOAC, –
(i) shall not be positioned on a road island or road median with the exception of Class 1(a) 5.1 General Conditions and Principles SAMOAC AUGUST 2010 56 ~ Gantry Billboards which are allowed on road islands or road medians other than freeways in accordance to permitted areas of control as indicated in Fig.7;
(ii) shall not be suspended across a road reserve and road surface with the exception of the following signs which are allowed across roads other than freeways in accordance to permitted areas of control:
Class 1(a) ~ Gantry billboards
Class 2(i) ~ Advertisements on Towers, Bridges, and Pylons
Class 7(c) ~ Signs for Sporting Events, Festivals & Exhibitions when roads are closed for motorized traffic
(iii) shall not be allowed on a road surface with the exception of Class 6(a) ~ Vehicular Advertising in accordance to permitted areas of control ;
(iv) shall not be erected within a road reserve or the limited use area outside the road reserve boundary of freeways, as indicated in Figure 4, with the following exceptions:
(aa) The following signs may be allowed within all road reserves including freeways and the limited use areas next to freeways in accordance to permitted areas of control:
Class 5(b) ~ Road Traffic Project Signs
Class 5(d) ~ Gateway Signs
Class 6(a) ~ Vehicular Advertising
Class 7(b) ~ Project Boards that concern road construction
Class 7(c) ~ Signs for Sporting Events, Festivals & Exhibitions when roads are closed for motorized traffic
(bb) Class 5(a) ~ Service Facility Signs may be allowed within the limited use area along freeways in accordance to permitted areas of control.
(cc) The following signs may be allowed within the limited use area along freeways, in accordance to permitted areas of control as indicated in Fig.7 if the main building housing an enterprise is within 50 meters from the road reserve boundary of a freeway and if there are no other appropriate means of identifying that particular enterprise from another public road carrying traffic passing through:
Class 2(c) ~ Wall Signs
Class 2(f) ~ Projecting Signs
Class 2(g) ~ Veranda, Balcony and Under Awning Signs
(dd) The following signs may be allowed within all road reserves excluding freeways in accordance to permitted areas of control:
Class 1(a) ~ Gantry Billboards
Class 1(d) ~ Small Billboards
Class 2(i) ~ Advertisements on Towers, Bridges, and Pylons
Class 4(a) ~ Street Furniture & Large Posters (Limited to bus shelters, telephone booths, and automatic public toilets)
Class 4(b) ~ Forecourt Signs
Class 6(d) ~ ‘Walking’ Sandwich Boards & Other Portable Notices
Class 7(f) ~ Lamppost Advertising
Class 8(a) ~ Security Signs (Only for indicating entrances to security schemes) 5.1 General Conditions and Principles SAMOAC AUGUST 2010 57 (ee) The following signs may be allowed within all road reserves excluding freeways in accordance to permitted areas of control, but only as site boundary signage:
Class 2(c) ~ Wall Signs
Class 2(d) ~ Signs & Murals Painted on Walls & Roofs
Class 2(e) ~ Signs Incorporated in the Fabric of a Building
Class 2(f) ~ Projecting Signs
Class 2(g) ~ Veranda, Balcony and Under Awning Signs
Class 2(h) ~ Window Signs
Class 3(a) ~ On-Premises Business Signs in Urban Areas
Class 3(b) ~ Miscellaneous Signs for Urban Residential Oriented Land Use and Community Services
Class 3(c) ~ Signs for Agricultural and Related Land Use in Rural & Natural Areas
Class 7(a) ~ Construction Site Advertisements
Class 7(b) ~ Project Boards that do not concern road construction
Class 7(d) ~ Estate Agents’ Boards
Class 7(e) ~ Auction Signs
Class 7(h) ~ Temporary Window Signs
(v) shall not be permitted within a restricted area at urban street corners, with the exception of the following signs which may be allowed only on the on-site part of the restricted area and on the site boundaries enclosed in the restricted area (site boundary signage) and in accordance to permitted areas of control:
Class 2(c) ~ Wall Signs
Class 2(d) ~ Signs & Murals Painted on Walls & Roofs
Class 2(e) ~ Signs Incorporated in the Fabric of a Building
Class 2(f) ~ Projecting Signs
Class 2(g) ~ Veranda, Balcony and Under Awning Signs
Class 2(h) ~ Window Signs
Class 3(a) ~ On-Premises Business Signs in Urban Areas
Class 3(b) ~ Miscellaneous Signs for Urban Residential Oriented Land Use and Community Services
Class 4(b) ~ Forecourt Signs
Class 7(a) ~ Construction Site Advertisements
Class 7(b) ~ Project Boards
Class 7(d) ~ Estate Agents’ Boards
Class 7(e) ~ Auction Signs
Class 7(h) ~ Temporary Window Signs
Class 8(a) ~ Security Signs These signs shall be allowed only as locality-bound signs and only if there is no other possibility to display such signs or any other sign type fulfilling the same function outside a restricted area. Any illuminated sign allowed in this manner within restricted areas at signalized street corners as indicated in Figure 6 shall not contain the colors red, green or amber. (d) No signs, as permitted by SAMOAC, shall be staked or pegged into the ground within any road reserve with the exception of site boundary signage.
Illumination
The following maximum luminance levels per square meter are applicable for all classes of advertisements in SAMOAC where illumination is permitted (as determined by the International Commission on Illumination):
(b) The light source emanating from floodlights shall not be visible to traffic traveling in either direction.
(c) Floodlighting shall be positioned to ensure effective distribution and minimize light wastage or ‘spill’.
(d) In respect of urban freeways, irrespective of the area of control, the following sign classes may not be illuminated in any way unless the freeway is lit by overhead lighting over the full distance within which the advertising sign is visible from the freeway:
Class 1(b) ~ Large billboards
Class 1(c) ~ Medium Billboards
Class 1(d) ~ Small Billboards
Class 2(b) ~ Roof Signs
Class 2(c) ~ Wall Signs
Class 2(d) ~ Signs & Murals Painted on Walls & Roofs
Class 7(a) ~ Construction Site Advertisements
(e) No non-locality bound sign may be illuminated between 23:00 and daybreak. 5.1.7 Indemnity
(a) The person in respect of a sign accepts, despite any approval by the controlling authority, all responsibility and liability for and indemnifies the controlling authority against any claim that may arise from the erection, display, and construction of the sign.
ADVERTISING RESTRICTIONS ON URBAN FREEWAYS
Within visual zones, the responsible roads authority may, after an OAPA process, identify areas in which relaxation may be allowed by changing such visual zone areas back to the original area of control (minimum or partial) onto which the visual zone (maximum control) was superimposed. In such instances, the responsible roads authority may also stipulate any terms and conditions additional to the requirements of this manual they may require compliance with.