Waterfall residents say no to new cell tower
Waterfall residents are up in arms over a proposed cellphone mast at the intersection of Glengrey and Niagara Drive.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/08/cellphone-tower.jpg)
A GROUP of concerned residents in Waterfall have joined forces to object to the erection of a cellphone tower in Glengrey Drive, Waterfall.
One of the residents, Sarah Fortmann, said she is getting assistance from the EMFSA (Electromagnetic Fields South Africa) organisation based in Cape Town, a city which has also opposed these towers popping up everywhere.
Two more residents have hired an attorney’s firm in their private capacity to assist with the objection process.
“I have created a Facebook group called Cell tower objection – Cnr of Glengrey and Niagara Drive, Waterfall. Residents who are opposed to this tower or want to learn more about the effects of EMF radiation are welcome to join it. There is also a WhatsApp group we use to communicate info and strategy. We need to be unified to succeed in our objection,” said Fortmann.
She added there are already two towers within a kilometre radius of the proposed site of this new tower and another two towers within a 2.5km radius.
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“I am positive there are probably more within close proximity. Why the need for another tower? The site where they want to erect this tower is on land that literally borders D’MOSS land. I can’t even begin to imagine all the flora and fauna that will be negatively impacted by adding another tower,” added Fortmann.
She believes not all residents received a registered letter informing them of the installation.
Fortmann also claimed notices were only placed at the end of Glengrey and Niagara Drive and not at the entrance of these two roads.
“This means only a handful of residents have seen these notices. This action was cunning and our community will not accept this. Our community consists of risk ‘targets’ when it comes to radiation poisoning. This comprises of babies, pregnant women, their unborn children and the elderly,” said Fortmann.
She said in her street alone there are more than a handful of families with small babies, including herself.
There is also a pre-school in the neighbouring road and two old-age homes and a retirement village in the area.
She claimed the radiation inhibits and effects the development of an underdeveloped and growing brain in an unborn child.
The Highway Mail will follow this story as it develops.
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