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PRESS: Cape Town's Mayor bestows Freedom of the City upon David Kramer and the late Taliep Petersen
- Theatre Scene Cape Town
- Oct 29
- 1 min read
Allison Foat
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced yesterday that the City of Cape Town will soon be bestowing the Freedom of the City upon David Kramer and the late Taliep Petersen.
“This legendary duo,” he said, “will be awarded our highest Civic Honour in a special ceremony in January 2026.” Mayor Hill-Lewis added that Kramer and Petersen have not only entertained South Africans over generations but have fundamentally shaped South African musical theatre and the rich, cultural music heritage of the Western Cape and the Mother City.
David and Taliep will take their place alongside other greats such as President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The attached photo is the last one taken of the two of them together, captured on Bloubergstrand by Taliep's longtime friend and well-known freelance photographer, Sharief Jaffer, just ten days before Taliep’s tragic death in 2006.
Onstage now at Artscape is David Kramer's latest hit musical, Orpheus McAdoo, presented in association with Cape Town Opera (CTO). The lively, moving production has received rave reviews since opening at Artscape last week, where it runs until 2 November 2025. The all-star cast includes Jody Abrahams, Eldon van der Merwe, Elton Landrew and CTO’s Brittany Smith and Conroy Scott. Tickets are through Webtickets and the theatre box office on 0214217695.
To watch the Mayor’s announcement, please click the link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQWhMLwgdQ6/?igsh=c2Q3MHhkMjNyNTUz