[imagesource: Unsplash]

Residents of Clifton fork out a pretty penny to call the area home, and if you mess with the view, you better be prepared to do battle.

Take for example the cellphone mast that was installed on top of the scout hall roof in the parking area of Clifton Fourth Beach back in 2016.

For more than four-and-a-half years, residents have complained to the City of Cape Town about “visual pollution”, and they’ve finally emerged victorious.

It helps when you have Billy Gundelfinger, one of South Africa’s foremost criminal and divorce lawyers, leading the charge, as a Clifton resident himself.

Via TimesLIVE, here’s an image that was supplied showing the mast before its removal:

The horror! The unsightliness! The sheer indignity!

Gundelfinger, who has represented the likes of Cyril Ramaphosa, Mandla Mandela, and Tokyo Sexwale in the past, brought legal action on behalf of the 177 bungalow owners of Clifton, Glen Beach, and Bakoven, known collectively as The Bungalow Owners’ Association (BOA).

Two weeks ago, victory was his:

“The cell mast equipment was removed and relocated to the alternative site off Victoria Road at the end of February 2021,” confirmed city spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo this week.

However the move is too little too late for Gundelfinger [above], who wants the city to investigate the circumstances surrounding the mast affair, in particular the lease arrangements with cellphone providers which caused the delay.

Now if only someone would take responsibility for getting this monstrosity off Google Maps. Shield your eyes:

[source:timeslive]