Johannesburg today took a bold step to becoming Africa`s techno capital, with the Hillbrow Tower - situated in the heart of SA`s economic powerhouse - being renamed the Telkom Joburg Tower.
This 270-metre-high tower went up in lights at 19:00 today, illuminating the city`s skyline and shrugging off its anonymous identity for 34 years as Telkom laid claim to its landmark.
Telkom`s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Nombulelo Moholi switched on the tower`s environmentally friendly floodlights, with the company`s lettering and logo prominently displayed on Africa`s tallest man-made structure with an elevator.
"As the owner of this tower, which is a prominent part of the city skyline and the official logo of the City of Joburg, Telkom is proud to have our name linked to the economic capital of SA in such a meaningful, lasting way," said Moholi.
The renaming of the tower, which is supported by the City of Johannesburg, forms part of a landmark branding project by Telkom to use its properties to enhance its external visibility and brand recognition.
In October last year, Telkom successfully transformed the skyline of the city of Tshwane with the re-branding of the Lukasrand Tower.
For legal and safety reasons, Telkom obtained permission for the project from the National Roads Agency, the South African Air Force and the Civil Aviation Authority.
To change the tower`s name and install the signage and lighting, Telkom sought approval from the City of Johannesburg, including the Johannesburg Development Agency, the Johannesburg Environmental Impact Management, Johannesburg Outdoor Advertising and the Hillbrow local ward councillor.
Work commenced in December 2004, with stringent safety standards maintained to ensure the safety of the installation team who worked at heights of up to 200 metres.
Once known as the JG Strijdom Tower, the re-branded landmark is a national key point that keeps Gauteng connected through its complex communication capabilities. Using microwave systems, it serves as a traffic hub for the province, connecting in and outbound traffic from as far as Cape Town and Durban to Telkom`s network.
Moholi thanked all stakeholders for their collaboration to ensure the success of the project, saying it augured well for future co-operation between Telkom and the city`s key players.
In February this year, Telkom and the City of Johannesburg signed a co-operative agreement in pursuit of the city`s 2030 vision to become Africa`s techno hub. They agreed to share and exchange information on existing infrastructure and where the communications network could be required in the city.
Moholi said Telkom was committed to work with the city to meet its end-to-end communications needs.
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