| Civic Honours 2025: Cape Town Mayor calls for nominations | Civic Honours 2025: Cape Town Mayor calls for nominations | | <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/PublishingImages/City%20news.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | <p>Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and the City of Cape Town are inviting residents to nominate individuals or organisations to be awarded with Civic Honours in 2025. Nominations are now open for two months from 13 January 2025 – 12 March 2025, with the ceremony set to take place later this year. <br></p> | <p>The City confers Civic Honours to acknowledge individuals or organisations that have distinguished themselves through extraordinary acts of service, outstanding contributions to the wider city community, personal sacrifice and contributions to nation building. A Civic Honour may be conferred on a living person or in memory of a deceased person.</p><p>‘Civic Honours are about recognising the contributions of remarkable people who have delivered exceptional public service, in any field of social, community or civic interest. To promote pride in our city, we revived the tradition of Civic Honours in 2023 after a hiatus of 12 years, and we have now made these awards a regular fixture every two years. </p>
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<p>‘Honours recipients have generally achieved extraordinary acclaim in their chosen field, have won international recognition for their talent or contribution, or distinguished themselves with extraordinary community service. We encourage Capetonians to get involved by submitting a nomination on or before 12 March, and we look forward to celebrating a new group of amazing honourees at the ceremony later this year,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.</p><p>Awards are conferred in several categories: Freedom of the City, Civic Honours Book, Mayor’s Medal, and Freedom of Entry into the City.</p>
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<h4>Freedom of the City</h4><p>This is the City’s highest and most prestigious award, bestowed only rarely, upon individuals, organisations or military units that have brought global acclaim to Cape Town and distinguished themselves exceptionally. </p><p>Freedom of the City is very rarely awarded, and past recipients include the late President Nelson Mandela and the late Archbishop Emeritus, Desmond Tutu.</p><h4>Civic Honours Book</h4><p>The second-highest honour the City can confer is the Signing of the Civic Honours Book. This is where either a living person, or their next of kin in the case of a posthumous award, signs their name in the Civic Honours Book next to a citation of their achievements. Recipients also receive a beautiful scroll containing the same citation of achievements.</p><p>This honour recognises public service to Cape Town that is exceptionally meritorious or impactful, in any field of social, community or civic interest. These recipients have generally achieved extraordinary acclaim in their chosen field, have won international recognition for their talent or contribution, or distinguished themselves with extraordinary community service. This book is kept by the City for future generations to remember Cape Town’s greatest citizens.</p><p>The individuals recorded in the Civic Honours Book in the most recent bestowment in December 2023 are:</p><ul><li>Lawyer, activist and former Constitutional Court Justice,
<strong>Albie Sachs.</strong></li><li>Legendary South African playwright,
<strong>Athol Fugard.</strong></li><li>The greatest South African test cricketer to have never played for South Africa,
<strong>Basil D’Oliveira.</strong></li><li>Social justice advocate and philanthropist,
<strong>Bennie Rabinowitz.</strong></li><li>The Queen of African pop, and Ma Brrr to her many fans,
<strong>Brenda Fassie.</strong></li><li>Afrikaans poet, painter and former political prisoner,
<strong>Breyten Breytenbach.</strong></li><li>Former South African soccer star and captain, and current national team coach,
<strong>Desiree Ellis.</strong></li><li>World War II fighter pilot hero, and anti-apartheid activist,
<strong>AG “Sailor” Malan.</strong></li><li>Humanitarian and founder of Gift of the Givers,
<strong>Dr Imtiaz Sooliman.</strong></li><li>Acclaimed singer-songwriter, guitarist and global music star,
<strong>Jonathan Butler.</strong></li><li>Political satirist, playwright and HIV/Aids educator,
<strong>Pieter-Dirk Uys.</strong></li><li>Teenage interpreter and peace broker between the Khoi and the Dutch in the 17th Century,
<strong>Krotoa.</strong></li><li>Social, education and climate justice activist, and Archbishop of Cape Town,
<strong>Dr Thabo Makgoba.</strong></li></ul><h4> The Mayor’s Medal </h4><p>This prestigious award acknowledges outstanding contributions by individuals or associations in a number of different fields, including: </p><ul><li>community service</li><li>the arts; social services</li><li>youth affairs</li><li>recreation and sport </li><li>conservation</li><li>economic affairs</li><li>animal welfare</li><li>extraordinary bravery</li></ul><p>In the most recent round of Civic Honours in December 2023, Mayor’s Medals were bestowed on:</p><ul><li>The
<strong>Friends of Mostert’s Mill;</strong></li><li>Founders of The Clothing Bank,
<strong>Tracey Chambers and Tracey Gilmore.</strong></li><li>Ladles of Love’s
<strong>Danny Diliberto.</strong></li><li>The late
<strong>Shaleen Surtie-Richards</strong></li><li>Langa’s
<strong>Busy Bees Rugby Club</strong></li><li>The late
<strong>Hank Lith</strong> of Claremont Arderne Gardens</li><li><strong>Zoë Prinsloo </strong>of Save a Fishie</li><li>The
<strong>Volunteer Wildfire Services, </strong>and </li><li>state capture corruption buster,
<strong>Athol Williams</strong></li></ul><h4>
Freedom of Entry into the City </h4><p>The Freedom of Entry into the City is given to military units to recognise outstanding service given to their country and city. Military units that receive this honour may march through the streets of Cape Town during all ceremonial and other occasions with ‘swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying’. </p><h4>
How to nominate </h4><p>All nominations must be presented in writing, motivating for the honour to be bestowed and include adequate motivation. </p><p>To submit a nomination for Civic Honours, visit:
<a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/Meet-the-City/Our-mayor/civic-honours">www.capetown.gov.za/CivicHonours</a></p><p>
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<br> </p> | 2025-01-12T22:00:00Z | GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d | | | | | GP0|#18fadfdb-b463-40eb-82b2-4148feb8f4ea;L0|#018fadfdb-b463-40eb-82b2-4148feb8f4ea|Civic Awards;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#90b49a62-96e2-436a-9c68-187c9ab33534;L0|#090b49a62-96e2-436a-9c68-187c9ab33534|Mayor;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
