The burning of the cellphone towers follows a resurgence in conspiracy theories which link the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic to 5G
Three cellphone towers were torched in KwaZulu Natal as 5G conspiracies continue to spread amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Towers that were burnt down belong to MTN and Vodacom and both these were in Durban, KwaZulu Natal province.
Telecommunications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams described these attacks as a threat to investment made to develop telecoms network infrastructure in the country.
“It is regrettable that the much-needed network infrastructure is being destroyed. The country needs resilient and high-speed connectivity for every citizen to enable them to participate meaningfully in the digital economy. Furthermore, mobile telephony is crucial in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic,” Ndabeni-Abrahams said.
It is believed that the motive for the attack is linked to conspiracy theories which blame the emergence of COVID-19 to 5G. These theories have been raging globally since first cases of COVID-19 were reported in 2019.
Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams urged law enforcement agencies in the country to 'arrest anyone who is threatening to remove infrastructure network stations or towers.'
The department is concerned about social media circulating messages linking 5G networks to the emergence on coronavirus. The department has warned that those who are spreading these conspiracy theories could be charged.
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