Residents opposed to cellphone towers

Residents of Sunward Park have started a petition against a planned erection of a cellphone mast on one of the community’s residential streets, Du Raan Road.

The concerned community members are opposed to the 25m tower and claimed they are also upset because no public participation took place.
“We would’ve been oblivious of the proposed tower if they didn’t accidentally put a notice on my neighbour’s gate,” said one of the residents, Vanessa Woodley.

She said residents are worried about the potential health risks that come with living close to a cellphone tower and said it unsightly and will devalue their properties.
Some of the other objections the have listed in the petition include: “We object because of the risk of noise pollution and peace disturbance. We object because we have not been informed of the initial technologies and modulation types and future additional technologies and modulation types that will be used on this tower.”

Fears were also raised that crime syndicates will target such towers for batteries.

Residents said they are following the correct procedure to stop the mast from being erected.

The petition carries over 50 signatures, with September 11 being the cut off day for resident to send in their objections.

Jaco Smal confirmed to the Advertiser that he did sign a lease in connection with the cellphone tower to be erected on his property.

“I was recruited by a company to erected a tower in my yard and I signed the lease after I weighed all the benefits. One of my conditions for them to erect the tower was that everything should be done legally,” he said.

The resident confirmed that he is going to receive compensation for having a tower in his property but did not want divulge the amount.

According to the metro’s divisional head of communications, Nhlanhla Cebekhulu, an application was submitted to the metro on August 27 for consideration.

He highlighted Building Control acknowledge receipt of objections for the proposed mast today from the affected community members.

“The mast in question has not been approved and is not in circulation,” Cebekhulu said.

He said the correct process to engage the community and submit application has been followed by the company prior the erection of the proposed mast.
“The applicant is allowed by law to engage in public participation with the affected community member’s prior submission and approval of the building plans,” he said.

The Advertiser also received numerous complaints about cellphone towers that are being erected in Frost, Gelderbom, Brake, De Waal and Conradie streets in Windmill Park.
Furthermore, an Impala Park resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, is also concerned about a proposed cellphone tower at the North Point SPAR.

Cebekhulu said the metro is not aware of the planned mast at the SPAR and said that there is no receipt of objections.

The Advertiser is still awaiting comment from ward councillor Bruce Reid.

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