Advert revealing cell mast sites in Glenwood was an error, claims MTN agent

GLENWOOD residents were up in arms over a recent advert in a daily newspaper calling for special consent for the ‘installation of telecommunications receivers on CCTV camera poles’ at the exact sites which MTN’s appointed agent noted in May last year were not in the position they had advertised.

Resident Daniel Barbeau noticed the advert which was published in February, and was shocked to see the 11 cell masts that were withdrawn from the list of 42 advertised last year, had again been advertised using the same GPS position and the same location description as last year’s advert, even though agent, Warren Petersen Planning, had confirmed they would correct the GPS location and the location description when they re-advertised.

The closing date to lodge an objection to the Special Consent Application had been noted as 20 March 2020.

Barbeau contacted the representative from Warren Petersen Planning to raise the issue.

In correspondence with representative, Hanru Fourie, said he was informed that the company had investigated the matter and it appeared that the office had accidentally used the old application’s public participation document instead of the more recent document attached to the new application.

“I was told the company would withdraw the adverts and re-advertise, with a new end date to object to. So far there has been no public statement to say the advert has been withdrawn. I also feel this should be advertised more widely, including in community newspapers which have covered the story over the years, so more people are able to see and respond to it,” said Barbeau.

He urged residents to keep their eyes open for the new advert and to object once again to the cell mast installation.

ALSO READ: MTN withdraws 11 cell mast applications in Durban

Niki Moore, leader of the group of residents who has taken eThekwini Municipality to court over the allegedly illegal MTN cell masts, said the set of applications showed once again the complete contempt that MTN had for the people of Durban, and for the law.

“To start, this application is to attach cellular antennae onto an existing ‘municipal camera pole’, but there are no municipal camera poles, and there never have been. The concrete cell masts were built for MTN’s specific use, and they officially claim ownership of them. Another lie is the site plan of the masts, which shows sites, as in the Rick Turner case, 300 metres away from where the mast has been built. If the municipality therefore approves this site plan in the wrong place, they are breaking all their own laws,” she said.

“With regard to these specific applications, they were withdrawn a year ago because it was discovered that they were flawed. At the time, the environmental consultancy stated that they were pleased that they had discovered the problems and could now rectify them – this advert shows they have not rectified them at all,” said Moore.

Commenting on the health implications of these cell masts, Emma Kelly from Durban Anti-Cell Mast Alliance said: “With the Coronavirus pandemic and the huge amounts of global peer-reviewed research that has been done by leading scientists and medical professionals proving that 5G and wireless networks are extremely harmful to human heath and all life, Durban Anti-Cell Mast Alliance, members of the group Stop 5G South Africa and the public call upon the South African government and all relevant telecommunications providers and associated companies to immediately cease 5G installations and declare a nation-wide moratorium on 5G until safety can be proven. We need the Government of South Africa to take the lead in protecting it’s citizens and wildlife from further harm during this global crisis.”

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