New look for Hilbrow tower

A giant 8-ta pink spot now adorns the Telkom Tower, replacing the soccer ball that was installed for the World Cup. It will be there for the next three years.
A DEFINING feature of the Joburg skyline, the Hillbrow tower, has been given a make-over and is sporting a distinctive new look.

The soccer ball is replaced by and 8-ta logoA giant 8-ta pink spot has replaced the soccer ballThe soccer ball which hugged the tower has been given the boot, and was painted over in a striking pink to welcome Telkom’s new cellular service, 8-ta. The telecommunications parastatal has advertising rights on the tower.

“It really gives us great pleasure to shout ‘heita’ to Joburg residents and visitors from our sky-high position,” said Telkom’s managing executive, Amith Maharaj. “This is also to celebrate 8-ta’s first year of operating in the mobile landscape in South Africa and to mark the tower’s 40th year.”

It was painted rhodamine red to match the mobile service’s colours, and Hillbrow’s larger-than-life syringe will show off this look for the next three years. The re-branding took just over a month to complete.

The tower can also boast about its environmentally friendly credentials. Light-emitting diode (LED) lights are used to light it up. They use 10 times less power, as well as have a longer life span. “With the use of LED we have also cut down the power usage from 2 000 watts to 400 watts per light,” Maharaj said.

Hillbrow tower, as it is fondly known, is the tallest building in Joburg, as well as the tallest tower in Africa. It is 269 metres high, which is the same as the length of the Titanic, and took three years to build – between June 1968 and April 1971. It cost around R2-million to construct.

First known as the JG Strijdom Tower, named after the prime minister from 1954 to1958, it was renamed the Telkom Joburg Tower in 2005. Telkom still uses it as a microwave tower.

It used to be a popular attraction for tourists and residents alike, with six public floors. This included two restaurants – The Grill Room and Heinrich, the revolving restaurant.

There was also a public viewing room or observation deck that offered panoramic views over the city. But the tower was closed to the public for security reasons in 1981.