Randpark Rigde residents continue fight against Cell Tower

Residents are still fighting the erection of a cell tower in Mopani Road, even though the structure is already up.

It was completed earlier this month and residents claim that because they were not made aware of the cell tower and the unknown health implications, it should be taken down.

Residents have been protesting outside the property, voicing their anger and frustration at being ignored.

They pleaded with ward councillor Wendy Alexander to facilitate a public meeting with relevant stakeholders to understand what procedures were followed.

At the meeting, residents had a chance to ask their burning questions of Atlas Tower Group, the organisation responsible for building the tower.

The meeting also had officials from Health and Social Development. Residents in Mopani Road claim that no registered mail was sent to them, even though it is required by the City of Johannesburg as criteria before a project begins.

According to Paul Jansen van Rensburg, regional general manager for Atlas Tower Group, the site to erect the cell tower was not chosen by them but by a cellular network company’s Radio Planning department.

Atlas Tower is an infrastructure company and provides passive infrastructure for the telecommunications industry.

“Towers are put at a location to either provide coverage or capacity,” said Jansen van Rensburg.

“This specific tower in Mopani Road was erected to provide both coverage and capacity. We, as the passive infrastructure provider, were asked by the cellular network company to erect the tower.

“There needs to be proper coverage in a residential area. In 1994 when the cellular network companies were established, we had 2G coverage and people could only make and receive calls. Since then, technology has evolved and 5G is at our doorstep.

“With 2G, towers could be kilometres apart and still have coverage but in areas where the population is dense like Soweto, towers can be 500m apart to provide proper coverage.

For people to have a satisfactory connection, the tower in Mopani Road has to be erected. There will be a densification of towers in the near future,”

He explained that the company approached seven houses in Mopani Road for a possible site and proposed a lease agreement. When a property owner declines, they will approach another owner until one agrees.

Once the Gauteng Department of Environmental Affairs and Department of Civil Aviation have given the go-ahead, letters will be sent to residents about the proposed tower.

If residents do not respond within 21 days, it is taken as consent.

Their application along with proof that registered mail had been sent will be given to the City of Johannesburg, he said.

However, residents at the meeting disputed having received any letters informing them about the cell tower.

Barbara Flottow wants to know how Atlas Tower Group sent registered mail to their homes when their mail is not delivered to their homes.

“Those letters did not arrive at the Randpark Ridge Post Office and that registered mail was sent our street addresses but we don’t get post delivered to our homes. We all have post boxes at the post office,” he said.

Peter Mangonye from the City’s Health Department allayed fears that the cell tower will have an impact on people’s health.

He said that after looking at various research from reputable international institutions, there was no conclusive evidence that cell towers affect the health of people living around them.

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