- The City of Cape Town has warned the organisers of the upcoming Sex Expo, FinePoint Productions, that their advertising trailer will be impounded, and they will face fines if it advertises on city property again.
- This action follows a complaint from a Kenridge resident about an inappropriate billboard near Kenridge Primary School.
- City officials are evaluating the legality of the advertisements and stress the importance of protecting children from unsuitable content.
The organisers of the upcoming Sex Expo, FinePoint Productions, will not only face a fine, but their billboard advertising trailer will also be impounded if it is find to advertise the Sex Expo again on land of the City of Cape Town.
A Kenridge resident and concerned mother of Kenridge Primary School complained to the City of Cape Town and TygerBurger when a trailer with a huge banner to advertise the Sex Expo was parked in Tygervalley Road near Kenridge Primary School on Saturday 8 June. On the one side was a photograph of two girls scantily clothed in bikinis, holding pineapples, while on the other side was a picture of a banana in front of red lips in a sensuous way. Pineapples are believed to be a natural aphrodisiac that enhances libido and improves sexual stamina.
Impound
Eddie Andrews, the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, says the advertising is illegal and the advertiser had no permission to park his vehicle there.
The City of Cape Town has issued a notice and warned the driver towing the trailer, as well as the event organisers that if the trailer is parked on City property in contravention of the Outdoor Advertising Bylaw again, they will impound it and issue fines.
The organisers of the Sex Expo have applied for event posters that will be put up around Cape Town.
Wayne Dyason, spokesperson for law enforcement, says the City’s law enforcement department liaised with the City’s environmental and heritage management department and is investigating the matter and appropriate action will be taken.
In her complaint the resident said the advertisement opposite the school is inappropriate and potentially harmful to the young and impressionable minds that attend Kenridge Primary.
‘Unsuitable’
“The advertisement in question, which is prominently displayed, contains content that is unsuitable for children. As a parent and a community member, I find it deeply troubling that such material is allowed to be placed in such close proximity to a primary school,” she says.
“I believe it is crucial for our community to be aware of this issue and to take collective action to ensure that our children’s educational environment remains safe and conducive to their well-being.
“Inappropriate advertising near schools can undermine the values we strive to instill in our children. I urge other concerned parents and community members to voice their concerns also,” she says.
“When I approached the driver of the billboard to express my concerns, I was met with aggressive and abusive language.
“The driver swore obscenities at me and dismissed my concerns, stating that he was not selling sex. However, with such explicit imagery and the word ‘sex’? prominently displayed, it is hard to interpret the advertisement any other way,” she says.
FinePoint does not seem phased by any of this. In comment to TygerBurger they say their adverts are “as legal as a sunny day in Cape Town”.
Celebration
“It’s a massive advertising campaign that’s impossible not to see – and that’s precisely the point. Our goal is to celebrate the human body and sensuality in all its glorious forms.
they say.
