Kingsburgh West cell tower erected without notification
The normal procedure is residents should receive notification and the right to object.
Kingsburgh West residents are up in arms after a cellphone tower was erected without them being notified of it and given the chance to object. The tower was built on Kingsburgh West Primary School’s grounds on Friday, 13 November.
Maxwell Shange, a member of the street community, who lives in close proximity to the tower, said he has had numerous complaints from neighbours and they want to fight to get it removed. “This is rubbish. They should have informed people before going ahead and erecting it. The community doesn’t benefit at all from it. We have a lot of children living and playing in our community and these towers will only do us and them harm.”
The normal procedure is residents in the immediate vicinity of a proposed cellphone tower should receive notification and the right to object by a given date. If objections are received, then permission is not granted to erect the tower. Cellphone towers do not need to be erected in residential areas, where they are a health risk, but the companies use the community and the security companies they pay for to safeguard the expensive batteries that crime syndicates target.
“We had no idea they were building a tower. We thought someone was building a house when we first saw the construction starting. Then when they put up a wall, we thought it was part of the school. On Friday big machines rolled in, the tower went up and they left without saying anything to us.”
READ ALSO: Residents object to proposed cell tower in Warner Beach Maxwell, who has been living in the suburb for 10 years, said the street community should have been informed and it, in turn, informs the residents about any development in the area. The tower is also in close proximity to a Shembe church.
Dangers of cellphone towers
These towers have electronic equipment and antennas that receive and transmit cellphone signals that use radiofrequency (RF) waves. Research has noted that a handful of human studies exhibit neurobehavioral symptoms when around these towers as well as there is an increased risk of cancer.
The microwaves from these towers can interfere with the body’s own electro magnetic field (EMF), suspected of causing a variety of potential health problems, including headaches, memory loss, cardiovascular stress, low sperm count, birth defects and cancer. New technology has not been properly tested and European countries are banning these towers in certain regions because the effects of high microwave radiation are unknown.
Wildlife, insects and birds in the vicinity may also be affected, along with pets. Where cell towers are needed, they should be placed at a safe distance, of more than one kilometre, away from institutions such as schools, hospitals and neighborhoods. Having towers erected in residential areas also brings in an element of criminality, as there are syndicates that target stealing the expensive batteries that are in these towers.
DID YOU KNOW? Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics. To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 694 6047 The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there? Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist. (Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
