Sentech Tower

Originally called the Brixton or Albert Hertzog Tower, construction started in 1961 and was completed in 1962. The Tower was designed by Ove, Arup and Partners and built by Christiani and Nielsen SA. The tower is built to withstand winds of 186 kilometres per hour (116 mph) and gusts of up to 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph). The tower is 237 metres (780 ft) high. The first transmission took place 22 December 1961. Presently Sentech broadcast 18 FM programs and 7 TV stations. Backup power to the tower is 1MW using two 500kVa Volvo Generators. Towards 2001, naming rights for the tower were sold to Sentech, one of South Africa's first wireless internet service providers. Up until 1982, an observation deck affording panoramic views of the city was open to the public, but was closed due to rising fears of insurgent fighting by South African anti-Apartheid activists. The tower viewing deck has not re-opened to the public since then.