- The Democratic Alliance has retained its seat in Ward 58 with Dr. Richard Hill being elected as the new councillor.
- Hill, with a background in civil engineering and environmental management, aims to focus on community needs and sustainable development.
- He emphasises reducing crime and enhancing green spaces as his key priorities.
With an 18% voter turnout for the Ward 58 by-election on Wednesday 28 August, the Democratic Alliance has retained its seat with Dr Richard Hill officially named the new ward councillor.
Hill, who started his career as a civil engineer and an academic at the University of Cape Town (UCT), specialised in environmental assessment and management.
“I was chairperson of the Physical Planning and Landscape Committee at UCT and contributed to national, provincial and local policies and laws,” he said. “As board member for the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa and then Registrar, I played a key role in setting up this new profession – a world first.
Hill, who enjoyed hiking, gym and playing the electric guitar, said family example inspired him to join public office. “I come from a long line of family involved in community service. My father Rev Lionel Hill was the minister of the Claremont Congregational church. I will put into practice my years of socially responsive research at UCT. Politics and science are not that different – both require a truthful understanding of the problems facing society to find good solutions. I am grateful to Ward 60 Councillor Mark Kleinschmidt for getting me interested in politics,” he said.
Contested election
With 98,32% of the votes cast in the by-election, Hill was a clear winner. The ward was also contested by the African National Congress’s Simphiwe Silwane and Africa Restoration Alliance’s Bonita Stroebel. The election was necessitated by the resignation of former councillor Katherine Christie, who took up a seat in the National Assembly (“New dates set for Ward 58 by-election”, People’s Post, 16 July).
“A huge vote of thanks to the residents of Ward 58 who came out in support, giving us 98,3% of the vote,” Hill said. “I will work hard to honour your confidence. I respect the cultural, religious and ethnic diversity of South Africa and will work for all residents whatever your political affiliation.”
Asked about the top deliverables for his coming term, Hill said he aimed to improve the lives of residents through listening to and addressing their issues.
“I will use the Integrated Development Plan of my Ward to familiarise myself with residents’ needs. I will build on my public service as previous chairperson of the Sybrand Park Civic Association and on the excellent roadmap of my predecessor, MP Kate Christie.
“I will also drive conservation and sustainable development of our environment and green spaces. As an environmental consultant I am used to weighing up the social, environmental and economic implications of development to find the right balance.”
His final goal is to address the DA’s key priorities which include reducing the rate of crime.
“I will tackle social issues, and combat crime with our dedicated Ward 58 law enforcement officers, our CIDs, police, community policing forums, our neighbourhood watch groups, and private security companies,” he said.
Background
From 1990 to 2016, Hill was an academic in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science (EGS) at UCT and has a BSc in Civil Engineering and PhD in Environmental Assessment, both from UCT.
Hill was chair of the Physical Planning and Landscape Committee from 2010 to 2016, and chair of the Faculty of Science Research Ethics Committee from 2013 to 2016.
As an environmental consultant, he has managed and reviewed many Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).
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His contributions led to the integration of environmental factors in planning, engineering design and decision making, through consideration of project alternatives and measures to enhance sustainability.
His research focus has been to advance the philosophy, theory and practice of EIA. He has authored 74 publications – 28 at an international level and supervised 63 postgraduate dissertations.
Since 2021, he has been Research Associate at UCT and freelance consultant for a range of clients, including Tearfund UK (Christian aid organisation), the NGO Protect the West Coast, and the Association of Professional Heritage Practitioners.
“As an activist in the Athlone Constituency, I am acutely aware of the huge gap between the poor and rich of our city. As chair of the DA’s Ward 60 Branch, I organised painting, plumbing and a new sign for the O.W.L. Haven Shelter for the homeless,” he says. “I am committed to the DA’s vision of a fair and just society and will champion job creation and pro-poor policies. I will pursue these goals in Council where I have a broad vision for improving the lives of all of Cape Town’s residents. While the big picture is important, I will focus on the provision of services for residents in my ward.”
