FREEDOM OF THE CITY

MAYOR Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced that the City will bestow its highest Civic Honour – the Freedom of the City – on two of its cultural icons, David Kramer and the late Taliep Petersen, at a forthcoming ceremony in January 2026.

The City will also award Civic Honours and Mayor’s Medals to a range of luminaries at a Council ceremony in November.

Hill-Lewis said in a video post on social media: “Hey Cape Town, I can finally share the good news with you that I’ve been wanting to share with you for a long time. Our City will soon be awarding its highest Civic Honour, the Freedom of the City. 

“And we’ll be awarding it for the first time in almost a decade. 

“The Freedom of the City is a big deal and it will be bestowed on two very special people who count among Cape Town’s most beloved people, most famous and most influential cultural ambassadors. 

“I am pleased to announce that Mr David Kramer and the late Mr Taliep Petersen will receive the freedom of the City of Cape Town, with the latter obviously a posthumous award after his sad passing.

“Both David Kramer and the family of Taliep Petersen have accepted the award, following City Council approving our nomination of them.

“We look so forward to presenting the award at a special ceremony in of January 2026, as Taliep and David their their place alongside titans of history like [former] President [Nelson Mandela] and Archbishop [Desmond] Tutu, who are among only a tiny handful of people who have ever been awarded the Freedom of the City of Cape Town.    

“Taliep and David have not only entertained us over generations, but have fundamentally shaped South African musical theatre and the rich, amazing, cultural heritage of the Western Cape and Cape Town. 

“Aside from their countless individual creative achievements, who can forget their masterpiece theatrical collaborations; District Six the musical and Kat and the Kings?

“The genius of these timeless productions is how Taliep and David blended entertainment with social commentary and activism, telling powerful stories of forced removals and community resilience in our city. 

“So we look forward to celebrating these icons in the streets of Cape Town early next year with a ceremony that will bring to life their music and bring to life their rich cultural flair of Cape Town that these artists are known for.”  

Details of the event will be announced in due course.