CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — Build One South Africa (BOSA) has officially announced Roger Solomons as its Cape Town mayoral candidate, setting the stage for a fierce contest in the upcoming local government elections. The announcement, made by party leader Mmusi Maimane, positions the BOSA national spokesperson to challenge the Democratic Alliance’s stronghold in the metro by advocating for a shift from mere administrative stability to shared, inclusive progress.
The unveiling took place at the Iziko Museum in Cape Town, where Maimane introduced Solomons as the ideal candidate to lead the party’s first contest for local government in the city. Maimane emphasized that Solomons brings a wealth of experience from the corridors of power, aiming to field a slate of ethical, competent, and future-looking candidates who understand the needs of the residents.
Solomons, who currently serves as BOSA’s National Spokesperson and Head of Mobilisation, faces a formidable task against established rivals. He will contest the mayoral position against the DA’s Geordin Hill-Lewis, ActionSA’s Dereleen James, and candidates from the ANC, the Patriotic Alliance, and other opposition parties.
During his acceptance address, Solomons reflected on his personal journey, noting his upbringing as a pastor’s kid in an uneven community. He highlighted his milestones as the first head boy of color at his primary and high schools, and the first in his family to attend and complete university. He argued that his career across national and local government has taught him a fundamental truth: “Systems shape outcomes more than intentions do.”
“I am not stepping up to lead Cape Town because I believe the city is broken. I am stepping up because I believe it is unfinished,” Solomons stated. While he acknowledged the current administration’s administrative competence and relative stability, he argued that competence alone does not create justice, and stability does not create inclusion. He highlighted the stark contrasts between affluent areas like Bishop’s Court and Constantia, and working-class communities like Bishop Lavis, Delft, and Mitchell’s Plain, noting that they exist in the same municipality but experience vastly different realities. He painted a picture of a city grappling with a severe cost-of-living crisis, where families are forced to make impossible monthly choices between healthcare, transport, housing, food, and education.
When questioned about his qualifications to manage a R60 billion-a-year metro with 30,000 employees—especially given that he has never held elected office or directly run a municipal department—Solomons defended his extensive behind-the-scenes experience. He pointed to his nearly decade-long tenure inside the DA, where he served as a ward-level chairperson, a political assistant to the provincial leader, and a stakeholder manager for the executive mayor of Cape Town.
“Spending over a decade in the engine room of government… puts me at an advantage,” Solomons explained, noting his familiarity with budgets, compliance, and the technicalities of bureaucracy across all 116 wards in the city. He positioned himself not as a traditional frontline politician, but as a voice of reason who understands the mechanics of the backend and can tell Capetonians what they need to hear.
A central pillar of Solomons’ campaign is affordability. He criticized the influx of millionaires buying prime properties and converting them into short-term tourist rentals like Airbnb, promising strict monitoring to ensure housing remains accessible for young graduates and families who want to live close to their workplaces.
Addressing the fragmented opposition landscape, Solomons outlined BOSA’s path to the mayoral position. He stressed that while the party is open to coalitions, any post-election agreements must be a “collision with a plan.”
“We are definitely open for coalition, but it needs to be a collision with a plan of action,” Solomons said, dismissing the traditional political focus on portfolios and positions. He insisted that potential coalition partners must first sign off on a concrete plan to make Cape Town affordable, safer, and inclusive for all residents before discussing who gets what.
