Second mobile operator MTN has come under fire from Bryanston residents, who have expressed concern over the possible health hazard stemming from the erection of base stations in the area.
Last night, the operator and an environmental affairs expert met with the Bryanston community for a question and answer session. Residents took the opportunity to voice concerns about possible health effects that could result from exposure to radio frequency fields, particularly those emitted from cellphones and their base stations.
MTN said it acknowledges the concerns, but pointed to research pertaining to base stations and frequency submissions:
“There ought to be a strong basis for public confidence in the safety of the technology. There has been over 40 years of RF bio-effects research upon which the nationally endorsed [South African Department of Health] and International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation (ICNIRP) guidelines are based,” offered Robert Madzonga, chief corporate services officer at MTN SA.
“These science-based safety standards guidelines provide ample margins of protection against any known health risk for all members of the public, including children. Electromagnetic field (EMF) levels in areas surrounding MTN base station sites in residential areas are well below the ICNIRP guidelines. MTN applies the internationally recognised ICNIRP guidelines as endorsed by the Department of Health,” he continued.
Madzonga also assured residents that MTN would obtain an EMF predictive report from an independent consultant. This report would indicate the technical details of the proposed equipment that will be installed on the said street pole, and will be able to indicate the EMF exposure of this proposed installation.
Continued assurance
Once the project is live, MTN will again use an environmental management systems study to do a live test of these installations and provide relevant compliance reports in terms of the international guidelines on EMF, Madzonga said.
He explained that the operator has already measured its trial site in Fourways, and these measurements are more than 2 000 times below the international safety standards of human exposure for EMF, which is in line with the ICNIRP guidelines.
Although the operator has moved to assure residents that there is no reason for concern, MTN argues that it is not obligated to do so.
“MTN is using existing municipal and utility infrastructure. Therefore, there is no requirement in terms of the National Environmental Management Act to notify residents of the planned installation of the equipment as MTN is merely using existing structures/infrastructure,” explained Madzonga.
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