JOHANNESBURG — In an unusual campaign move, a 75-year-old mayoral candidate donned full snorkeling equipment and took a swim in a massive water-filled pothole to protest what she calls decades of municipal incompetence in South Africa’s largest metropolis.
Helen Zille, a prominent figure in South African politics, suited up in a wetsuit, diving mask, snorkel gear, and a distinctive pink-and-white swim cap before taking a doggy paddle through the murky brown water that had collected in an upscale Johannesburg neighborhood street. According to Zille, the water-filled crater has remained unfixed for approximately three years following a water main break that city workers have unsuccessfully attempted to repair multiple times.
The politician filmed her aquatic protest and shared it online, where local television networks quickly picked up the footage. During her swim, she remarked with obvious sarcasm, “And here we are with a free and wonderful Saturday-afternoon snorkel.”
“I wonder if there are any fishes in here. Let me take a look,” she continued before submerging her head beneath the surface.
Despite being recognized as Africa’s wealthiest metropolis in terms of private assets, Johannesburg has endured years of unstable local government partnerships and deteriorating public services. The municipality, historically dubbed the “City of Gold” due to its origins in massive gold mining operations, continues to face significant challenges.
The city’s roughly six million residents regularly endure power outages, water service interruptions, and crumbling infrastructure including failed water mains and deteriorated roadways.
Zille, who previously served as head of South Africa’s second-largest political party and held the mayoral position in Cape Town, announced her intention to seek the top municipal office in Johannesburg during upcoming local elections.
Following Zille’s weekend demonstration, Johannesburg’s sitting mayor responded via social media on Tuesday, acknowledging that the pothole resulted from a water main “that had repeatedly failed over the past three years.” The official stated that repair crews addressed the problem and filled the crater within one day of the politician’s publicity stunt on Saturday.
