Court order: Johannesburg Metro returns Solidarity banner; advertising agency must pay back money

The Johannesburg Metro will return Solidarity’s 70 m long banner free of charge. The banner reads: “Welcome to the most race-regulated country in the world.”

This follows a settlement agreement that was made an order of the court. Solidarity also says they are finalising an agreement with the advertising company to return the money. If the company does not pay back the money, Solidarity will sue it.

Solidarity also erected 38 more billboards with the same message in Johannesburg.

According to Solidarity, it had a legal contract with the advertising agency. The agency rents advertising space from the metro and Solidarity in turn rented from the agency.

“We have met all the requirements. We are now going to get our banner back and we want our money back. We are also going ahead with the campaign,” said Dr Dirk Hermann, Chief Executive of Solidarity.

For Solidarity, there is no doubt that its banner was unlawfully removed because of its message. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said in a post on X that the “anti-transformists” must be defeated, and a photo of the banner was published. Mgcini Tshwaku, Johannesburg Public Safety MMC, responded to Lesufi’s post with a video showing the banner being removed.

“Solidarity is continuing its campaign. The fact is that South Africa is the most race-regulated country in the world. The banner and 38 other billboards are shining the spotlight on it and have sparked a national and international debate. At least South Africa’s radical racial dispensation is now being talked about,” says Hermann.