MAYORAL CANDIDATE SNORKELS IN NEGLECTED POTHOLE

Helen Zille is making waves—literally—in her campaign for mayor of Johannesburg. The 75-year-old South African politician took an unusual approach to highlight ongoing infrastructure issues by snorkeling through a massive, water-filled trench in a suburban street. Dressed in full swim gear, Zille paddled through the muddy water, drawing attention to a burst pipe that had reportedly gone unfixed for nearly three years.

The stunt quickly gained traction after Zille shared video footage online, sarcastically calling it a “free Saturday-afternoon snorkel.” Her message: city mismanagement has left residents dealing with crumbling infrastructure despite Johannesburg’s status as Africa’s wealthiest city.

Home to around six million people, Johannesburg has faced persistent issues like water outages, electricity cuts, and deteriorating roads. Zille, a former Cape Town mayor, is now stepping into the race to lead the city.

Notably, officials say the problem was fixed just one day after her attention-grabbing swim.

@helenzille

This is one of Joburg’s many public facilities for swimming. No opening hours and no maintenance plan, yet somehow it keeps expanding… 🏊‍♀️🚧 #BelieveInJoburg

♬ original sound – Helen Zille