Ward 58’s new councillor, Dr Richard Hill, of Sybrand Park, was sworn into his new position at the Cape Town Civic Centre on Tuesday.
Dr Hill, as the DA candidate, won the by-election in the ward on Wednesday August 28, with a 98.32% landslide against Bonita Stroeble from the Africa Restoration Alliance (ARA) and Simphiwe Silwane from the ANC.
“I am thrilled to have won the by-election with such an amazing poll of 98.3% for my party. I really enjoyed the campaign, particularly getting to know constituents in my ‘meet and greets’ and going door-to-door. Chatting to voters at their homes with mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis was a highlight,” he said.
The by-election was triggered when former ward councillor Katherine Christie resigned in June to become a DA member of Parliament in the wake of the May general election (“Ward councillor quits for MP post,” Southern Suburbs Tatler, June 27).
Dr Hill has worked as a freelance environment and social consultant since 2021. He has a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a PhD in environmental assessment. He spent decades in academia in UCT’s department of environmental and geographical science.
Becoming a ward councillor was a different career path for him, but it built on the foundations of his previous work, he said.
Ward 58 includes parts of Kenilworth, Claremont and Rondebosch and is home to some 28000 residents, who, according to Dr Hill, all deserve a safe home, good work and a pleasant environment.
“I look forward to playing my role in the council, overseeing the delivery of high quality services.”
Dr Hill said he would explore ways in which his constituency could assist the less privileged.
“I will look after our environment and tackle social issues and crime. I will engage with residents and communities to ascertain, inform, represent, and address their service needs,” he said.
Email richard.hill@capetown.gov.za to raise ward issues with Dr Hill.
