Residents gun for MTN as war on cell masts heats up

THE war against illegal cell masts in and around Durban is far from over. Angry residents who have been negatively affected by the cell masts have called a meeting for Tuesday, 6 March at Stella Sports Club at 5.30pm and have asked MTN CEO Rob Shuter and city officials to attend.

According to Glenwood resident and spokesperson for the concerned group of residents, the Durban Anti-Cellmast Alliance, Niki Moore, Shuter has been asked to attend the meeting to explain how the cellular company managed to put up 123 masts on municipal land in Durban without complying with any of the city’s land-use or spatial planning regulations or by-laws.

“It appears that the telecomms company has been given an unfair and illegal advantage over its rival operators,” said Moore.

ALSO READ: Umbilo residents take legal action against MTN cell masts

It was towards the end of 2016 that the concrete masts first became an issue after residents noticed a sudden proliferation of masts being erected in parks and on traffic islands across the city. The city spokesman, in reply to queries from ward councilors and residents at the time, explained that the were towers being erected to accommodate CCTV anti-crime cameras. However, it was later revealed that the concrete towers were actually cellular masts, purpose-built by MTN to accommodate infrastructure roll-out in Durban.

Moore said MTN spokesperson Bridget Bhengu explained that MTN was not required to abide by planning regulations, development guidelines, or city by-laws as a result of a special ‘infastructure-sharing’ arrangement with eThekwini head of Disaster Management, Vincent Ngubane.

“This has turned out to be false, as there is no record of any such decision or permission, and lease agreements state quite emphatically that MTN is required to abide by the law,” she said.

Now Durban residents are demanding answers from MTN and the city.

“People are furious about MTN’s underhand dealing. All these masts suddenly started popping up in Durban in 2016, and when residents raised concerns they were deliberately mislead. We now have documents that prove that MTN has behaved dishonestly and unethically, and we are quite puzzled why the city has not taken action against them. It is inconceivable that a private company can undertake a massive infrastructure project in a city, without obeying any by-laws or regulations, and then announce that they have been excused any compliance because of a private and secret agreement with an individual council employee, apparently acting in his personal capacity. How can such a deal not be corrupt?”

ALSO READ: DA queries city’s ‘secret’ deal with MTN

She said while the Durban Anti-Cellmast Alliance was not opposed to cellular infrastructure and the provision of IT services, these should be done in accordance with the law.

“The biggest problem with these illegal masts is that the secret deal has allowed MTN to put up masts in completely inappropriate places. It seems that the city simply told MTN where to put them, without any planning or scoping. Of course the residents of Durban were never given any opportunity to object, as the public participation process was not followed. Residents were simply presented with a fait accompli,” she said.

Moore said MTN is facing numerous challenges to their illegal roll-out of masts in Durban with thousands of residents claiming that the inappropriately-placed masts are making them sick.

“Several court challenges are underway. Ethekwini claims it is investigating the lease agreements, declaring that they are ‘full of discrepancies’. Vincent Ngubane, who is alleged to have given MTN permission to circumvent the law, is currently under investigation for fraud, corruption and mismanagement, dating back to 2015. The city refused to comment on the status of the investigation, however,” she said.

ALSO READ: Glenwood residents feel effects of cell mast transmissions

Anyone who is concerned about the proliferation of cell masts in Durban and who would like answers from the city or MTN, is welcome to attend the meeting. Contact Niki Moore on 031 205 8331.

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