THE DA in eThekwini submitted an urgent motion to council on Thursday, requesting the executive committee launch an investigation into a suspected secret deal with cell giant, MTN.
According to DA councillor, Martin Meyer, the agreement between the eThekwini Municipality and MTN allegedly allows the latter to make use of existing municipal infrastructure to install cellular transmitting technology.
“The DA cannot recall that any such agreement had come before any standing committee of the council for ratification, nor did any request for permission to enter into such an agreement.”
“Our councillors have, since September last year, received numerous complaints from residents regarding the erection of masts across the city on municipal land. These councillors immediately contacted the relevant officials and were told that the masts were to be used for CCTV as part of the City’s rollout programme,” he said.
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However, Meyer said other implements began to appear on the masts which are used for the transmission of cellular signals.
It has also transpired that MTN is responsible for the installation of the masts making it reasonable to assume that these towers have been primarily erected for the purpose of transmitting cellphone signals and only secondarily for CCTV.
“We took a decision to table an urgent motion calling for an investigation as we felt that dealing with the matter immediately was in the public interest.”
“The Speaker allowed the motion to be considered but it was not carried as the ANC voted against it without giving reasons for their dissent. Our proposal was supported by the IFP and ACDP,” said Meyer.
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He said in 2016 the DA tabled a motion calling for the drafting of a “telecommunications infrastructure policy” which would deal specifically with the installation of such technology and would include clear rules and guidelines.
Such a policy would put a major emphasis on public participation and take serious consideration of the concerns of interested and affected parties.
“The ANC also voted against this motion stating that existing town planning regulations were sufficient enough to deal with these matters and gave the public an adequate platform upon which to raise their concerns.”
“We are of the firm belief that whenever telecommunications technology is to be installed, regardless of whether it is on private or municipal property, there must be a concerted effort to allow the public to give input. Public participation must always be of paramount importance when decisions of this nature are made,” said Meyer.
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He said in the interest of transparency and accountability, the DA plans to submit formal questions to Council to get ‘behind the truth’.
“If we are not successful, we will lodge a formal application in terms of the Public Access to Information Act to obtain the document containing the suspected agreement,” he said.
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