Cape Town City Hall to be lit up in support of Ukraine’s struggle

Cape Town City Hall will be lit up in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the continued conflict after Russia invaded. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis explained that the City intends to make its stance on the controversial and tense situation clear. Hill-Lewis also confirmed that he sent a message of solidarity to the mayor of Kyiv.

Cape Town stands with Ukraine

The City Hall will be lit up in yellow and blue to signal solidarity with the Ukraine, with Hill-Lewis commenting that:

“I informed Mr [Vitali] Klitschko that the City of Cape Town stands alongside other nations and cities around the free world in calling for peace in Ukraine and an end to Russian imperialist aggression,”

In a statement, issued on Wednesday afternoon, the Cape Town mayor commented that the move aims to serve as a small gesture amid the ordeal:

“The gesture of illuminating Cape Town City Hall in Kyiv’s colours will serve as a reminder of the torment the city and its residents are facing.”

However, the gesture is also aimed as a call to the national government to do more in order to make sure peace is restored.

“Through this small gesture, we are also calling on our national government – and other governments around the world – to do more for peace to be restored and for the unprovoked and illegal aggression against the Ukrainian people to be halted.”

Anger over similar move at Western Cape legislature

Despite the commitment, a similar gesture recently prompted a heated debate after the Western Cape legislature was also lit up.

Anger was the response by the ANC and Al Jamah-ah earlier this week, with displeasure voiced over the DA-led legislature not extending the same gesture to Palestinians and others who have come under attack.

Additionally, pictures of the lighting at legislature indicated that there is some kind of problem with the blue filter for the lights. Reports indicate that attempts at obtaining comment on the malfunction were unsuccessful with no official response to date.