By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Geordin Hill-Lewis was officially sworn in as the youngest executive mayor of the City of Cape Town during the first council meeting on Thursday.
Hill-Lewis managed to secure the most votes in the council after he was nominated for mayor, with other political parties nominating their own candidates for the job as well, including the ANC’s Noluthando Makasi and Jack Miller from the Cape Independence Party.
Miller received two votes, Makasi received 46, and Hill-Lewis received 141. There were 15 spoilt ballots, and 20 abstentions.
DA’s federal chairperson Helen Zille, DA leader John Steenhuisen, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and provincial leader Albert Fritz attended the inauguration.
Plumstead ward councillor Eddie Andrews, was elected as the deputy mayor. He secured 138 votes. Felicity Purchase was re-elected as council speaker.
“It’s a privilege to address you as the Speaker and I appreciate that you have based your trust in me again for the second time, having presided over a number of council meetings during the last months of the previous administration, I fully understand the responsibilities that you and this position bestows on me.”
With the mayoral chain around his neck, Hill-Lewis said their journey should start with the recognition that more and more South Africans are feeling hopeless about the future.
“To the voters of Cape Town and indeed of the whole country who have lost hope and stayed home on Election Day, I want to say that we have heard your message loud and clear. Ons het julle gehoor (we heard you). More of the same won’t cut it. Words are no longer enough. It is time for fresh thinking,” he said.
At the age of 34, Hill-Lewis is the youngest mayor of Cape Town. His predecessor, Dan Plato, was not present at the council meeting.
He thanked Plato, who took over as mayor after Patricia de Lille’s acrimonious departure from the DA.
“I wish to honour my predecessor, Mayor Dan Plato, who laid the foundation that we will build on over the coming five years. Ek sê vir jou baie dankie, Dan (I say thank you very much, Dan).”
Hill-Lewis said economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis would require double the effort to expand and maintain the infrastructure of the city and ensure excellent services are delivered to all citizens and businesses.