| Sentech Tower | |
|---|---|
 | |
Location within South Africa | |
| Alternative names | Brixton Tower Albert Hertzog Tower |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Cantilever concrete-shafted television tower |
| Location | Brixton, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 26°11′33″S 28°00′24″E / 26.19250°S 28.00667°E / -26.19250; 28.00667 |
| Construction started | 1961 |
| Completed | 1962 |
| Opening | 1962 |
| Height | |
| Height | 237 m (778 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ove Arup & Partners |
| Main contractor | Christiani & Nielsen |
| References | |
| 12345 | |
The Sentech Tower, previously named the Albert Hertzog Tower and commonly known as the Brixton Tower,3 is a 237-metre-high (778 ft) concrete television tower in the Brixton suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, near the top of the Brixton Ridge.6 It is a well-known and easily identifiable landmark in the city, alongside its "architectural cousin", the Hillbrow Tower.12345 Although always intended for both radio and television transmission, it carried only FM radio transmissions until the 1970s.
History
The tower's construction commenced in 1961, and was completed in 1962. The tower was designed by Ove Arup & Partners and built by Christiani & Nielsen.7 Upon completion, the Brixton Tower was the tallest man-made structure in Africa in its time until it was overtaken by the Hillbrow Tower.235 It cost R300,000 to construct.6
The first transmission took place 22 December 1961. Presently, Sentech broadcasts 18 FM programmes and seven TV stations. Backup power to the tower is 1 MW 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 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 security fears. The tower viewing deck has not re-opened to the public since then.12345
Construction and structure
In architectural terms, the Sentech Tower is a vertical cantilever structure with a reinforced concrete shaft. On windy days, the tower has been known to lean up to 2 m (6.6 ft), as measured from its uppermost mast. In addition, the tower was built to withstand winds of 186 km/h (116 mph) and gusts of up to 200 km/h (120 mph). The tower's foundation is circular, possessing a diameter of 26 m (85 ft), and it is 6 m (20 ft) wide and 2 m (6.6 ft) deep.123
The tower's full height is 237 m (778 ft), although some sources state that it has a lesser height of 234 m (768 ft).123
Geography
The Sentech Tower is situated in the suburb of Brixton, in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.1234
References
References
- "Sentech Tower (Johannesburg, 1962) | Structurae". En.structurae.de. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
- Jones, Rodney. "Johannesburg Landmarks". Amethyst.co.za. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
- "Sentech Tower | Buildings". Emporis.com. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - "Sentech Tower - South Africa :: Plak.co". Plak.co.za. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
- Heinle & Leonhardt, Erwin & Fritz (1997). Türme aller Zeiten - aller Kulturen, Third Edition. Stuttgart, Germany: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. p. 343. ISBN 3421029318.
- "The story behind Sentech's iconic tower - TechCentral". 27 October 2010.
- "Brixton Tower". The Heritage Register. Retrieved 18 November 2025.