Zeekoevlei residents were left disgruntled when they received letters from the City of Cape Town’s Department of Transport and Urban Development asking for comments in response to a request for a cell mast to be put up on the corner of Victoria Road and Fisherman’s Walk.
Residents said letters were only sent to some neighbours and they feel they were neglected in being informed about it earlier this year.
They worry that if the proposed cell mast goes up, it will be detrimental to their health.
Robert Rainers, who has been living in Zeekoevlei for more than 30 years, said he received the registered letter from the City of Cape Town on June 19 and the letter was printed on June 11. “We were surprised that we had not been called to a meeting before to let us know about this.”
He said if the issue about a cell mast being erected in Ward 67 had been discussed at sub-council, then “surely ward councillor Gerry Gordon, could have called us because not all of us old people have email or cellphones.”
Ms Rainers said as ratepayers they were entitled to know what was happening in the area.
Southern Mail emailed Ms Gordon who said she did not know anything about a cell mast and “this issue did not come to sub-council”.
However, the notification came from the Department of Transport and Urban Development and Brett Herron, the City’s mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, said the development management district office had “notified residents by registered mail on June 13 and the applicant also had to erect an on-site notice. The applicant complied with the on-site notice requirement and provided proof thereof to the City.” He said the office also sent registered mail to property owners in the immediate vicinity.
Mr Rainers said the registered letter was dated June 11 (which Southern Mail saw) and they only had 30 days to respond. “We require urgent intervention as the cell mast will cause our property valuation to decline. It is also detrimental to our health.”
A few metres away from the proposed cell mast location is another cell mast at Grassy Park High School. Mr Rainers said there was another one close to where the old Cafda base used to be. “We only want to make the people aware, because we are sure not everyone was informed.”
Another resident, Hazel Africa, who lives a road away from the proposed site, said: “I’ve been living in this area since 1984 and we got the letter. However, not all of us got letters. We want to know why everyone didn’t get letters?”
When asked how many objections would be needed to stop the service provider from putting up the mast, Mr Herron said the recommendation to the Municipal Planning Tribunal was based on the assessment of the applicant, the motivation, the issues raised in the objections received and the criteria of the Cell Mast Policy, which was approved July 2015. Therefore, there is no “specific number” of objections required. When asked what makes the location at the corner shop feasible for a cell mast, Mr Herron said: “The feasibility and/or desirability of the proposed application has not yet been determined. This can only be done once the application has been assessed by a City planning official, who will review the application including all submission documents, internal comments and objections.”
When asked if all the residents did not receive a letter for public participation, would the City extend the deadline for comments, Mr Herron said: “Any person may submit comments on the application whether or not they received a letter. The use of the on-site notice or communication by word of mouth gives anyone an opportunity to comment. The public participation period is only for 30 days and cannot be extended. It should also be noted that the comment period is still open so objections can still be submitted.”
Southern Mail asked MTN’s Jacqui O’Sullivan, executive for corporate affairs at MTN SA, why that location had been chosen to erect a cell mast and how it would benefit the community, but she only said: “The application relating to cell masts at corner of Fisherman’s Walk and Victoria Road and at Grassy Park High School is by Blue Sky Tower and ATC respectively and thus, MTN cannot comment on the progress or the process that is/was followed when applying for rezoning to erect these cell masts”.