ActionSA has named MP Dereleen James as its mayoral candidate for Cape Town, setting up a direct fight with incumbent mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis ahead of the local government elections.
James was announced by ActionSA at Voorspoed Primary School in Hanover Park on Saturday.
James, who is known for her anti-drug activism, has been tasked with leading ActionSA’s campaign in the city. The party has placed crime, drugs and corruption at the centre of her bid.
In her acceptance speech, James said safety would be her top priority. She argued that unsafe communities block investment and keep residents trapped in hardship.
Safety Takes Centre Stage
James said Cape Town’s safety crisis cannot be separated from service delivery.
She pointed to dark roads on the Cape Flats and said drug addiction and gangsterism thrive in communities without proper electricity and basic services.
She also said the cost of living must be tackled, saying residents should not have to choose between electricity and food.
ActionSA has said it believes the DA will fail to hold on to its long-running majority in Cape Town. James said the DA’s decision to launch its own mayoral campaign in the same area showed vulnerability.
Hill-Lewis Pushes for Second Term
The DA also confirmed Geordin Hill-Lewis as its mayoral candidate for Cape Town.
Hill-Lewis has served as mayor since 2021. He said he wanted to continue leading the city and described Cape Town as the “City of Hope”.
He said his campaign would focus on stronger policing, more jobs, reliable services, affordable homes and cleaner public spaces.
Hill-Lewis also said Cape Town could not wait for SAPS alone to beat crime. He said the city needed to build its own policing capacity and continue pushing for the powers needed to do so.
Claims of Political Tension
The campaign launch was marked by tension between the two parties.
ActionSA accused the DA of trying to disrupt its event after both parties held campaign launches in Hanover Park on the same day and around the same time.
Mashaba claimed ActionSA struggled to secure venues in Cape Town, including venues where deposits had already been paid.
The DA’s response to those specific claims was not included in the reports.
With both parties making crime and safety their strongest message, Cape Town’s mayoral race is already shaping up to be one of the most closely watched battles of the 2026 local government elections.
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