South Africans push back against 5G towers in their backyards

More than 42,000 submissions were collated through the Dear South Africa site from across all nine provinces in the country, detailing concerns over the public's right to privacy, property ownership and a healthy and safe environment. — AFP Relaxnews

JOHANNESBURG: Tens of thousands of South Africans have written complaints to the government over a new policy that would let mobile networks build cellphone infrastructure like 5G towers on private land, which they say could devalue their property.

Since communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams gazetted the policy last week, dissent has poured in through the website Dear South Africa, which collects online submissions to challenge or co-form policies before they become law.