Cape Town’s annual Civic Honours Ceremony has received backlash after Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis awarded recognition to former Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon, prompting sharp criticism from opposition parties.
The ceremony, held at City Council on 14 November, saw a range of luminaries receive the City’s prestigious civic awards, with cricket legend Jacques Kallis, filmmaker Oliver Hermanus, and Springboks captain Temba Bavuma among those signing the Civic Honours Book – the City’s second-highest honour.
However, the inclusion of Tony Leon among the honourees has drawn fierce opposition from GOOD party Deputy Secretary-General and City councillor Suzette Little, who described the decision as “completely disconnected from the daily realities of violence, poverty, and instability” faced by Cape Town communities.
A celebration of achievement
Hill-Lewis, who revived the civic honours tradition in 2023 after a 10-year hiatus, emphasised the ceremony’s purpose in celebrating exceptional Capetonians across various fields.
“What makes Cape Town truly great is its people,” Hill-Lewis said during the ceremony. “Capetonians have a way of lifting this city high and making us incredibly proud, whether they shine through their art, their skills, their service, their intellectual discourse, their acts of kindness, or their fierce loyalty to their community.”
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The ceremony recognised achievements across multiple categories, with Mayor’s Medals awarded to 18 individuals and organisations. Notable recipients included posthumous honours for Prof Brian O’Connell, former Vice-Chancellor of UWC, medical researcher Victor Pick who contributed to the world’s first heart transplant, and jazz icon Sylvia Mdunyelwa, known as “Mama Kaap”.
Among the cultural honourees were multi-award-winning actor Basil Appollis, singer and producer Emo Adams, and performing artist Denise Newman. Sports figures recognised included Springbok Women’s captain Babalwa Latsha and the late footballing legend Bernard Hartze.
Conservation efforts were acknowledged through awards to Friends of the Liesbeek, Dr Joan Parker for her work on the Upper Liesbeek River Garden, and the Two Oceans Aquarium for marine conservation excellence.
Criticism
The criticism centres on Tony Leon’s inclusion among those signing the Civic Honours Book, which recognises “public service to Cape Town that is exceptionally meritorious or impactful”. Leon, described in the City’s citation as a “renowned parliamentarian, diplomat, author, and public intellectual”, served as Democratic Alliance leader from 1999 to 2007.
Suzette Little launched a scathing attack on the decision, questioning what “extraordinary contribution” Leon made to South African democracy.
“When communities across the Cape Flats and greater Cape Town suffer indignities and violence that no human should experience, what has Leon done to make democracy work for them?” Little asked in her statement.
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The GOOD councillor argued that Leon’s opposition to transformation policies undermines the spirit of civic recognition.
“As someone who opposes the transformative parts of our constitution — the foundation of our democracy — using a civic honour to celebrate a former leader who opposes those parts of our democratic order that mandate redress makes the decision totally inappropriate,” Little said.
Questions about selection criteria
Little’s criticism extends beyond Leon specifically to broader questions about the civic honours selection process. She argued that civic honours should “make sense to everyone who calls our city home” and that recipients should be individuals “who have risen above party politics”.
“Placing Leon alongside individuals who genuinely advanced justice and equality is insensitive and out of touch,” Little stated. “It diminishes the ongoing struggles of communities still harmed by the system he helped shape.”
The opposition councillor concluded that “Cape Town should honour those who uplift communities, not those who contributed to their marginalisation”.
Highest honours still to come
Beyond Thursday’s ceremony, the City announced that its highest honour – Freedom of the City – will be awarded to cultural icons David Kramer and the late Taliep Petersen at a ceremony scheduled for January 2026.
The civic honours programme follows a public nomination process implemented earlier in 2025, followed by Council approval and confirmation of acceptance by nominees. The awards are now scheduled as a regular biennial event, representing Mayor Hill-Lewis’s effort to “promote civic pride in Cape Town”.
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