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Petition boosts signal

"Eighty-seven per cent of respondents to the petition have indicated that they support the call."

MORE than 400 people from across the city have responded to the Durban Cell Mast Petition.

Niki Moore from the Durban Anti-Cell Mast Alliance (DACMA), a residents lobby group created in 2017 to protest the illegal roll-out of MTN cell masts across Durban, said the group believes that if the City cared as they say in their vision, they would commission an independent study into the adverse health effects caused by cell towers.

“Eighty-seven per cent of respondents to the petition have indicated that they support the call. A further 92 per cent of respondents have indicated that the R5 000 application fee to appeal City decisions is unfair and excludes the majority from the system,” noted Moore.

She added that the group also believed that the City should commission an independent study into the effects on property value. Claiming that, “the city dismisses both these claims referring to the World Health Organisation and city valuation role to justify their response.”

ALSO READ: MTN faces court challenge to illegal roll-out of cell masts

The petition comes after DACMA lodged papers earlier this month in the Durban High Court, asking for a review of the alleged ‘secret deal’ between MTN and eThekwini Municipality in April 2016. The filing of the papers follows almost two years of public outrage against these illegally constructed cell towers. Despite numerous newspaper reports, community activism, council questions, applications via PAIA, legal correspondence and public meetings, there has been no response from either eThekwini and MTN.

Moore admits that while DACMA is not against the need for reliable communication technologies they believe there are better ways to go about it.

Residents can still sign the petition by following the link: https://bit.ly/2PdutZp

 

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