Tower lights turned into base stations

Community News
CHITUNGWIZA — Residents here have expressed outrage over the local authority’s decision to allow telecommunication companies to turn tower lights into base stations.

CHITUNGWIZA — Residents here have expressed outrage over the local authority’s decision to allow telecommunication companies to turn tower lights into base stations. REPORT BY FARAI DAURAMANZI

They said the arrangement deprived them of street lighting at night, leaving them at the mercy of criminals who terrorised their suburbs.

Chitungwiza council is renting out the tower lights to telecommunication companies as part of efforts to raise revenue. Residents however, are complaining that boosters are now the dominant feature in the town, yet most neighbourhoods remain in the dark.

They queried the logic behind entering into a deal which did not force the telecoms companies to repair street lights.

One of the residents who identified himself as Chris Vancols of Zengeza 1 said: “While we are not against progress, council should have insisted these companies repair tower lights as part of their rental arrangement.”

Vancols operates a secondhand goods market near a dysfunctional tower light that has been converted into a base station. He cannot operate at night because of lack of lighting.

Econet rehabilitates towers: Makuni Kezito Makuni, the technical director for Econet said the use of the towers was part of their infrastructure sharing policy.

“Once Econet gets authorisation to use a particular tower, we completely rehabilitate it. This includes making repairs to the lighting. While maintenance however falls on councils, Econet continues to supply lighting materials for the towers,” said Makuni.

“For using the towers, Econet pays rentals to urban councils, which they in turn use to fund service delivery to our communities, including supply of lighting.”

Shame Gurure (32) of Unit O in Seke said council must channel the money they get from renting out tower lights to repairing the lighting structures for the benefit of the community.

“Council should repair tower lights since they are now renting them out, where is the money going?” asked Gurure.

The residents attributed increased cases of muggings and robbery in Chitungwiza to the absence of tower lights as robbers take advantage of the darkness.

“It’s good that these base stations will improve network coverage but without any lighting we will continue losing cell phones or worse still, our lives,” said a man who identified himself as Masvikepi of Unit M in Seke.

It could not be established how much the companies were paying for the tower lights.

Telecel communication and branding manager Obert Mandimika said the exercise was part of efforts to improve service delivery.

“We placed our equipment as part of measures to speed up out turnaround time in terms of reaching out to subscribers and council has approved it,” he said.

He said arrangements were being made to restore the functionality of the tower lights as part of the company’s social responsibility.

Newly-appointed Chitungwiza Town Clerk, George Makunde said he did not have details of the deal and promised to make inquiries.

“It’s normal procedure for council to rent out its property,” said Makunde.

“However, I am still to be briefed on the contents of the deal between council and telecommunication companies.”

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