Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, shared his annual Mayoral Minute, offering a reflective look at the city’s progress over the past year and a glimpse into its future. In his third Mayoral Minute since taking office, Hill-Lewis expressed gratitude for the ongoing support of the people of Cape Town and highlighted the transformative work underway in the city. ‘2024 has been a year of remarkable progress for Cape Town,’ Hill-Lewis said.
‘We are investing heavily in the things that make cities work – infrastructure, safety, and public services. These investments are already paying off, and the city is starting to feel the difference.’ A major focus of the city’s spending has been sanitation, particularly in the underserved areas of the Cape Flats. In 2024, Cape Town invested a record R9.7 billion in public infrastructure, with a substantial portion directed toward upgrading and replacing the city’s strained sewer network. ‘Few things rob a community of dignity more than sewer spills or poor access to sanitation,’ Hill-Lewis explained. ‘This year, we made significant strides in addressing these issues, particularly in lower-income communities. The Cape Flats The mayor also announced that Cape Town had met its ambitious target of quadrupling its sewer pipe replacement rate to 100 kilometers annually. This investment is seen as a game-changer for the quality of life in communities that have long faced poor sanitation. Hill-Lewis also highlighted the creation of 130 000 construction jobs created since the start of his term in 2021. With nearly R40 billion set aside for infrastructure projects in the coming years, the mayor forecasts the creation of an additional 130 000 construction jobs. ‘Any year that ends with more people in jobs and fewer people unemployed is a good year,’ Hill-Lewis remarked. ‘In 2024, we’ve seen just that. Our city is a hub for opportunity, and I believe this momentum will continue.’ Cape Town’s progress in safety and law enforcement was another key highlight of Hill-Lewis’s repor