Sentech Tower, also known as and originally called the Brixton Tower or Albert Hertzog Tower, respectively, is a 237m concrete television tower in the Brixton suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is a well-known and easily identifiable landmark in the city, alongside its "architectural cousin", the Hillbrow Tower. Although the tower is currently used for television transmission, it was originally built for FM radio transmitters; public television would not commence for more than a decade after the tower's completion.HistoryThe Sentech Tower's construction commenced in 1961, completing its year-long construction in 1962. The tower was designed by Ove, Arup and Partners and built by Christiani and Nielsen SA. Upon completion, the Sentech Tower was the tallest man-made structure in Africa in its time until it was overtaken by the Hillbrow Tower.The first transmission took place 22 December 1961. Presently Sentech broadcasts 18 FM programs and 7 TV stations. Backup power to the tower is 1MW using two 500 kVa Volvo Generators. Towards 2001, naming rights for the tower were sold to Sentech, the TV and radio signal distributor in South Africa that is owned by the South African Government. 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.Construction and structureIn architectural terms, the Sentech Tower is a vertical cantilever structure, the shaft of which is made of reinforced concrete. On windy days, the tower has been known to lean up to 2m, as measured from its uppermost mast. In addition, the tower was built to withstand winds of 186km/h and gusts of up to 200km/h. The tower's foundation is circular, possessing a diameter of 26m, and it is 6m wide and 2m deep.
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