What are Civic Honours?

Civic Honours recognise extraordinary contributions or acts of service to our city and its residents. These include upholding the rights of others, serving their community above themselves, and contributing to nation building through outstanding service and achievements. 

A Civic Honour may be bestowed upon a living person or in memory of someone who has passed away. The awards are presented in terms of the City’s Conferment of Civic Honours Policy, which was adopted by Council on 3 December 2008.

Our awards are given in the following categories:

• Freedom of the City
  
• Signing of the Civic Honours Book
  
• The Mayor's Medal
  
• Alderman 
  
• Freedom of Entry into the City
  

Freedom of the City

We present this award to individuals, organisations or military units that have distinguished themselves by their heroic service. This is the highest honour awarded by Council and may be presented if there is a unanimous decision. Once they have been awarded, the recipients are referred to as Freemen of the City.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

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Signing of the Civic Honours Book 

The Signing of the Civic Honours Book is an honour awarded to a living citizen of Cape Town (or in the memory of a deceased person) who deserves recognition for his or her lengthy and purposeful public service to the city in any field of social, community or civic interest.

The honouree is invited to sign or inscribe their name in the Civic Honours Book against a citation of their achievements. The book is compiled and maintained by the Office of the Executive Mayor.

Mayor’s Medal

We award the Mayor’s Medal annually to acknowledge outstanding voluntary contributions made by individuals, associations or groups of people in different fields. These fields may include community affairs, conservation, cultural affairs, economic affairs, extraordinary bravery, recreation and sport, social affairs and services, and youth affairs.

Alderman

Aldermen are high-ranking members of a municipal assembly or council, chosen by elected members rather than by popular vote, or a council member elected by voters.

The title is awarded to a councillor who has served on one or more local government bodies within the Republic of South Africa for a period of 20 years or more. The title is for life, and the recipient receives a lapel badge or medal with a neck ribbon at the ceremony.

Freedom of Entry into the City

We award the Freedom of Entry into the City to military units in recognition of outstanding service given to their country and city.

Military units that receive the honour are allowed to march through Cape Town’s streets on ceremonial days and other occasions “with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying”.

Our previous recipients include:

• 2010 (28 April 2010)
  
• Three Medical Battalion Group
  
• 2009 (16 April 2009)
• Air Force Base Ysterplaat
• 9 South African Infantry Battalion
  

2025 Civic Honours

In 2025, Civic Honours will be awarded to several individuals for their significant contribution to society – in Cape Town and throughout the world. 

View the Civic Honours Ceremony 2025 Booklet.

The individuals who will be recorded in the Civic Honours Book are:

• Jacques Kallis - One of cricket’s greatest all-rounders in history
• Oliver Hermanus - Internationally-acclaimed film-maker
• Temba Bavuma - South Africa and Langa’s world cup winning Test Cricket Captain
  
• Tony Leon - Renowned parliamentarian, diplomat, author, and public intellectual
  

Mayor’s Medals will also be issued to people or associations that have served a community with a high degree of dedication and sacrifice.

The recipients of the Mayor’s Medal this year are:

For Community Affairs

• Prof Brian O’Connell (posthumously), former Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape
• Wendy Ackerman, philanthropist and business leader

Social Affairs and Services

• The Haven Night Shelter, offering dignified shelter to help people off the streets
• The Service Dining Rooms, serving cooked meals to the homeless for over 90 years
• Victor Pick (posthumously), a medical researcher who contributed to the world’s first successful heart transplant by Christiaan Barnard

For Cultural Affairs

• Basil Appollis, multi-award-winning actor, director, producer and writer
• Emo Adams, renowned singer, actor and producer
• Denise Newman, accomplished and versatile performing artist
• Louis Heyneman, for his advancement of music, arts journalism, and cultural development
• Sylvia Mdunyelwa (“Mama Kaap”, posthumously), Langa’s monumental figure in South African jazz

For Recreation and Sport

• Babalwa Latsha, Springbok Women’s team captain
• Bernard Hartze (posthumously), South African footballing legend
• Hamilton Sea Point Rugby Club, South Africa’s oldest rugby club, founded in 1875

For Conservation

• Friends of the Liesbeek, transforming Cape Town’s waterways for over three decades
• Dr Joan Parker, the driving force behind the transformation of the Upper Liesbeek River Garden (ULRG)
• The Two Oceans Aquarium, a beacon of marine conservation excellence in Cape Town 

For Economic Affairs

• Prof Brian Kantor, economist, educator, and public intellectual 

For Extraordinary Bravery

• The Mountain Club of South Africa, serving Cape Town with a highly skilled volunteer Search and Rescue (S&R) team
  

View a list of all past recipients.

Document downloads

• 1. Civic Honours 2025 Ceremony Booklet

     14/11/2025, Booklet - 717.3 KB

  2. Civic Honours Past Recipients List

     14/11/2025, List - 241.2 KB

  3. Conferment of Civic Honours Policy

     03/12/2020, Policy - 157.8 KB

  4. Mayor's Medal (2009 - 2011) Recipients Booklet

     01/01/2016, Booklet - 3.9 MB

  5. Signing of Civic Honours (2009 - 2011) Recipients Booklet

     01/01/2016, Booklet - 2.4 MB