The City plans to lease land next to a children’s playground in Capri Village, Sunnydale, to a company that wants to build a 12-metre-high cell tower there.
The public has until Friday June 2 to comment on the proposal to lease a 24m² portion of a field in Capri Drive to Rich Reward Leasing Pty Ltd for a base rental income of R4 770 for 10 years with the option to renew.
The purpose of the tower is for “uninterrupted telecommunications services to the community,” according to a notice in a document intended for ratepayers, civic groups, and the sub-council’s notice board.
A notice was also published in the Cape Argus and Die Burger in April.
The site, Erf 15551, located in the centre of Capri Village, right next to homes along Tahiti Close as well as adjacent to the Capri Play Park is zoned as Open Space 2 (OS2) for utility services such as a rooftop base telecommunication station, a free-standing base telecommunication station, and a wind turbine infrastructure, among other uses.
Some residents have raised objections and expressed concerns regarding the proposed cell tower.
Resident Dan White said electromagnetic fields, such as those produced by a cell tower, increased the risk of cancer in humans.
“Children nowadays are sadly exposed to so many radio frequencies so why should we allow such a tower to be built in a children’s play park in a nice quiet neighbourhood? It will also be an absolute eyesore, and no one in the area has cellphone-signal issues so it is not the community’s prerogative to allow such an atrocity.”
Caroline Gill, who relocated from Capri Village to Marina Da Gama in Muizenberg, where residents had previously opposed the installation of a cell tower, now reports having no cellular signal whatsoever.
“We have to drive away from home to make phone calls. If there is a home emergency, I pray WhatsApp is working and there’s no load shedding to interfere with working. It impedes my husband’s business 100%,” Ms Gill said on the Capri Village community Facebook group.
She urged residents to think carefully, and not only for themselves but also for the community.
“There are no cases of people dying from exposure to cell tower signals to date. One should always look at both sides of the story to make an informed decision,” Ms Gill said.
The American Cancer Society has this to say about exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation: “At this time, there’s no strong evidence that exposure to RF waves from cell phone towers causes any noticeable health effects. However, this does not mean that the RF waves from cell phone towers have been proven to be absolutely safe. Most expert organisations agree that more research is needed to help clarify this, especially for any possible long-term effects.”
Chris Dooner, chairman of the Sunnydale Ratepayers’ Association, said he agreed with residents who felt the tower would not look good at the proposed site, but he stressed that the community would need to accept the installation of antennas and transmitters in various locations if it wanted access to modern technologies such as 4G and 5G connectivity.
Ninette Tarlton, a resident, said the tower could ruin the view and spoil the experience of enjoying the picturesque sunsets, and people might be reluctant to buy a property with a view of cell tower.
Krystal Kolnick, a local real estate agent, said the presence of a cell tower near a property could make it hard for homeowners to sell to potential buyers.
“I’ve also had clients who have moved out of areas due to concerns about the radiation emitted by cell towers,” she said.
“If someone is trying to sell their house and it’s located near a cell tower, potential buyers will ask if it’s close to the tower or which part of Capri it’s in, in relation to the tower. This can lead to a decrease in the number of people interested in buying in the area and cause a decline in housing prices due to lower demand.”
The Echo had not received comment from the City of Cape Town or Rich Rewards by the time of publication.
Comments or objections can be sent to cellmast.objection@capetown.gov.za with the case number, 130008320, in the subject line.
