Cape Town - Sentech, the signal distributor for the South African broadcasting sector, has started a six-month construction project to replace the ageing Constantiaberg overhead power line in the Upper Tokai section of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), which feeds the Sentech Constantiaberg transmission site and provides broadcast services to the surrounding communities.
SANParks alerted TMNP users about the Constantiaberg overhead power line replacement and said it was urgently required to ensure essential broadcasting signal distribution and telecommunications services are not disrupted by the ageing of the overhead power line.
Sentech spokesperson Milisa Kentane explained that the electrical transmission lines were designed to last between 50 and 60 years, and the line they were replacing was built back in the 1960s by the City to supply power to the Sentech site.
He said it had to be replaced due to its age.
“The feeder line is from a municipal substation and runs underground until it reaches the mountain, then it starts running overhead. With this project, the whole distribution line is being replaced,” Kentane said.
SANParks said that the project started on Monday and will run for six months.
Because the work was being done inside a national park, Kentane said an environmental management plan had to be put in place to safeguard the flora and fauna in the park.
An environmental specialist had also been appointed to ensure compliance with environmental regulations that were set out by the TMNP, providing for which trees could be cut and others that needed to be pruned to ensure they limited any risk to the environment.
“The construction work will not stop usage of the park. Users will continue to use the upper section of the park. Only where construction is taking place is where users will not have access,” Kentane said.
SANParks said: “We extend apologies for any inconvenience caused during the duration of the project. The public may contact Ms Dalien Mboweni (at 083 417 3752) should they encounter any challenges during the project.”