[category]
[title]
Cape Town’s executive mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has been elected leader of the Democratic Alliance, a move that instantly raises a practical question for residents: can he lead a national party while still running the city?
For now, Hill-Lewis says yes.
In an interview with Daily Maverick Associate Editor Ferial Haffajee, before the leadership vote, he made it clear that remaining mayor of Cape Town was “absolutely” his intention, describing the role as the most meaningful job in South African politics.
That stance echoes an earlier precedent, when former DA leader Helen Zille held the party leadership while serving as Cape Town mayor for about two years, before becoming Western Cape premier. Still, the dual role isn't the norm or ideal, even if Hill-Lewis sees it as a power move to grow the party's base.
Running a major city is already a full-time executive job, and leading South Africa’s second-largest political party is no small side project. The real test will be whether Hill-Lewis can balance the national spotlight with the day-to-day work of governing a fast-growing metropolis.
A national platform from a City Hall?
Hill-Lewis has argued that staying in municipal government could actually strengthen his leadership of the DA. Cape Town, he says, offers a “functional platform.” It is a working example of how the party believes government should operate, especially when compared with the struggling metro of Johannesburg.
Tourism numbers continue to surge, with Cape Town International Airport welcoming 121,612 visitors in February 2026. An estimated 73% of these visitors were from Europe, according to StatsSA's international tourism data.
Time Out recently celebrated Cape Town as the 6th Best city in the world for 2026, with booming infrastructure – from the inner city to the Atlantic Seaboard. But that growth has brought growing discontent amongst residents, with its own tensions.
A city that’s winning but getting expensive
Rising property values are pushing municipal bills higher, leaving some residents struggling to remain in homes they’ve lived in for decades.
It’s a familiar story in global cities! From Barcelona to Venice, rapid tourism growth and property demand can reshape neighbourhoods faster than communities can adapt. Hill-Lewis acknowledges the problem. However, Rrising property values, he argues, are a sign of a successful city – and they expand the tax base that funds services and infrastructure.
He also points out that Cape Town’s property tax rates remain lower than many other South African metros. Still, for residents facing rising utility bills, that argument is hard to relate to.
Infrastructure, inequality and the real Cape Town
Yet, for a rising global tourism capital like Cape Town, the deeper challenge remains inequality and a legacy of systemic poverty rooted in the Apartheid system. Cape Town may be rising as a global tourism capital, but it is also a city where informal settlements continue to expand and where living conditions differ dramatically between neighbourhoods.
The mayor insists the city is directing significant resources into poorer communities, including a multibillion-rand upgrade to sewer infrastructure in Khayelitsha and expanded pipeline upgrades across the metro.
He also says the long-term solution to housing affordability is increasing supply. Planning reforms introduced last year aim to make it easier to build higher-density housing, and the city has been on a drive to unlock more land for development.
What it means for Cape Town now?
Hill-Lewis’s election as DA leader inevitably places Cape Town even more firmly in the national political spotlight. For locals, the key question is practical rather than political: will the city continue to function smoothly while its mayor balances two demanding roles?
For visitors and the tourism industry, the stakes are also high. Cape Town’s reputation as Africa’s leading city destination rests not just on its natural beauty but on the sense that things work - for everybody!
Head over to our social media channels to follow Time Out Cape Town on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. And don't forget to sign up to Time Out's free newsletter for expert recommendations on new things to do, see, eat and drink in the Mother City.