Cape Town appoints first‑ever Chief Heat Officer as temperatures soar

The City of Cape Town has appointed Albert Ferreira as South Africa’s first Chief Heat Officer, a role designed to address the escalating risks of extreme heat in urban areas. Ferreira, formerly the city’s Manager for Resilience and Climate Change, will now lead initiatives to protect residents from rising temperatures, particularly in vulnerable communities.

Cape Town has seen its summers grow hotter and more unpredictable, with temperatures regularly exceeding 35 °C and a record high of 44.6 °C recorded on the Foreshore in 2024. Ferreira’s role will include coordinating the city’s “Beat the Heat” programme, raising public awareness of heat risks, and integrating heat-resilience measures across municipal departments.

The appointment comes as part of Cape Town’s membership in the City Champions for Heat Action initiative, which encourages cities globally to develop strategies to manage extreme heat events. The city is prioritising proactive responses, ensuring that heat receives equal attention alongside floods, fires, droughts, and storms in its broader Climate Change Action Plan.

Extreme heat poses serious threats to outdoor workers, informal settlement residents, and low-income households with limited access to cooling resources. The City’s Executive Director for Future Planning and Resilience noted that, while many South Africans are accustomed to hot conditions, the dangers of severe heat events are often underestimated.

Ferreira’s leadership is expected to strengthen Cape Town’s capacity to respond to heat-related risks, improve community resilience, and ensure that public health and urban planning strategies are better aligned with the realities of a warming climate. His appointment signals a forward-looking approach for South African cities in confronting climate change head-on.