Meet the mayor: Part 2/5
Politics is far more than a 9-to-5 job for City of Cape Town Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who recently sat down for an exclusive interview with Cape {town} Etc.
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While his role as mayor may keep him busy from morning to night, it is the precious moments he spends with his family at home that he cherishes the most.
In the second part of our series, we learn more about his time away from work, his love of reading, making pancakes and a hamster named Jellytot.
‘The personal highlight of my week are those rare occasions when I’m able to get home to have dinner, spend the evening with my family and put my daughter to bed,’ he said in the living room of his home in Edgemead.
‘I also have an incredible bookshelf and love finding time to read and relax.’
‘Apart from books I also enjoy reading papers and international magazines. I try to read as much and as widely as I can and find it really rewarding.’
‘My favourite feature of the home is the bookshelf in my reading room. It’s my happy place. I also often read in bed.’
Hill-Lewis also enjoys gardening when he has time to do so and just loves being at home in general.
‘I also really enjoy going to one of Cape Town and South Africa’s beautiful national parks and find this extremely therapeutic.’
However, opportunities to curl up with a good book or dirty his hands in the garden are few and far between, as the mayor admitted that he seldom has time for the most important meal of the day.
‘I often don’t have time to eat breakfast in the morning so I usually just start my day with a cup of coffee.’
‘I might even just steal a little bit of Oatees from my daughter, Ava.’
‘On Saturday mornings, I have a tradition where I make the family pancakes. There are still one or two left if anyone would like one,’ he offers.
‘I try to do this every Saturday but unfortunately, sometimes I can’t because I have to go out to do city work.’
Pancakes and parenting are but some of Hill-Lewis’ passions but the mayor said that he also has a soft spot for animals. He encouraged the public to help and protect their furry friends.
‘We have two dogs, both rescues and SPCA specials, that we love very much,’ he said. ‘Ava has Jellytot, her tiny hamster.’
‘We have never bought a dog from a breeder and I don’t think we ever will because there are thousands of dogs that need homes from one of Cape Town’s excellent organisations like TEARS, Fallen Angels, PDSA, SPCA and many others.’
‘We always encourage people to assist and adopt a dog if they can.’
In the next instalment in this series, we look at what the mayor loves about Cape Town: its wonderful wine farms, pristine parks and the top of Table Mountain.
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Pictures: Monique de Beer Photography