Wireless broadband provider iBurst says it has complied with all the requirements regarding 13 of its Gauteng towers for which it was issued rectification notices.
The company, which is currently embroiled in a dispute with Fourways residents, who complained that one of its towers made them ill, says it had to pay small fines for each of the towers. The fines were no more than R3 000 for each tower, CEO Jannie van Zyl says.
Tekplan Environmental, which handles environmental planning on behalf of iBurst, received notices to fix issues around the towers. The notices are for an “application to rectify commencement or continuation of an activity”.
One of the applications, in ITWeb's possession, is an “application to rectify unlawful commencement or continuation of listed activities”. This application relates to a tower at the Blairgowrie Centre, in Johannesburg's central suburbs.
Not an issue
But Van Zyl says these notices were issued to the company because it had to amend certain aspects of the paperwork process in applying for approval. He says the matter is a non-issue and has been resolved.
The towers were all constructed in 2005 and 2006 and “some paperwork was not 100% done”. As a result, he says, the company had to go through the rectification process, which has now been completed.
Van Zyl adds that the masts were put up properly, and all the procedures were correctly followed. However, Fourways residents in the suburb of Craigavon claim that the tower they say is making them ill was not put up following the correct procedures.
The residents argue that they were not properly informed of the construction of the 25m mast, and it should have never been constructed.
iBurst denies these claims, but residents are determined to approach the courts to have the tower taken down.
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Residents shrug off iBurst claims
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