By CAPE TOWN — Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and Cape Town mayoral candidate Geordin Hill-Lewis launched his third major campaign pledge on Wednesday at Princess Vlei, promising tougher enforcement against illegal dumping, expanded cleaning services, and increased investment in public spaces if re-elected with a majority in the upcoming November local government elections.
Speaking against the backdrop of Princess Vlei—a site he highlighted as a primary example of urban renewal—Hill-Lewis argued that basic municipal service delivery can reverse neighbourhood decline.
“Princess Vlei was once associated with crime and grime but is now becoming a clean, green public space that brings surrounding communities together,” Hill-Lewis said. “We should never accept dirt, dumping and decay as an inevitable part of life in a South African city.”
The DA candidate’s environmental and sanitation platform focuses on four key operational pillars:
- Stricter Enforcement: Stepping up municipal action against individuals and businesses engaging in illegal dumping and littering.
- Service Expansion: Scaling up refuse and cleaning services, with a specific focus on under-serviced informal settlements.
- Public Space Upgrades: Sustaining capital investment to upgrade local parks, beaches, sidewalks, and shared public areas.
- Social Support: Expanding city-run Safe Spaces and social assistance programs for individuals living on the streets.
Framing sanitation as both a social and economic issue, Hill-Lewis emphasized that clean public spaces directly influence public safety, community pride, and local business growth. “A clean neighbourhood tells people that their community matters,” he stated, contrasting the DA’s governance record in Cape Town with broader national trends, which he criticized for lowering public expectations regarding municipal standards.
Hill-Lewis pitched the Cape Town governance model as a blueprint for the party’s broader national ambitions, positioning the local initiatives as a benchmark for a potential DA-led national government in 2029.
