We’d like to keep you healthy and well and so ask you to please join us on Monday 16 January, 6:00 pm at the Clarendon Park Primary School Hall (Church Road, Walmer, between 7th and 8th Ave) for a public meeting. This is an urgent call for anyone who lives, works or has children going to school in the Walmer area. Cell C are proposing to erect a cell tower on the corner of 8th Ave and Water Road.
We see this as a real problem for the following reasons:
- In May 2011, the World Health organisation retracted its previous “no harm to human health” statement and declared electromagnetic fields (as produced by cell towers) a “possible carcinogen” and have categorised them alongside DDT and lead. This a notoriously conservative organisation, so there will be some strong research to support this statement. It means they’re saying that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are a possible cause of cancer. There are many independent researches who have shown a direct correlation between EMFs and leukaemia/brain tumours. Children are harder hit than adults by the radiation produced, due to thinner skulls.
- Devaluation of property. In Europe (and it’s starting here now), there is a clear correlation between the presence of cell masts and a decrease in property values surrounding it.
- Cell masts are an eyesore – even those disguised as a tree.
- Both Cell C and the municipality chose to try and push this project through unnoticed over the festive season, when they knew that objectors would be away.
We need to send a strong message to these parties to let them know we will not have the wool pulled over our eyes. It is our constitutional right to live in an environment that does not cause damage to our health and it is the municipality’s obligation to protect us in providing that environment.
The meeting will be as brief as possible and will be hosted by the lawyer who is aiding us in our challenge against Cell C. If this doesn’t affect you directly, please notify whomever you can think of who may be affected.
A number of years ago, residents in the Mill Park/Linkside area successfully challenged a cell mast proposal, with the help of the same lawyer. He believes they were successful directly as a result of a high public turnout (about 400 people attended their public meeting). Please vote with your feet.
We are very grateful for any help you can offer.
Regards
Tanya Wyatt and Stuart Dicke
