The DA’s mayoral candidate hoped the stunt would shed light on the deteriorating infrastructure in the City of Johannesburg
Political analyst and North West University professor Andre Duvenhage says the DA’s Joburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille is showing herself swimming in a water-filled pothole in Fourways, bringing a lot of momentum to her party and the state of affairs in the City of Johannesburg.
Zille posted the video, complete with Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik, of her swimming in the massive crater located on Balder Road, Douglasdale, last week.
Zille’s stunts getting attention
The DA’s federal chair said the stunt was meant to shed light on the deteriorating infrastructure in the City of Johannesburg.
In the video, Zille attempts a backstroke, but she has a lot of work to do if she wants to beat South Africa’s golden girl Tatjana Smith’s records and medal tally at the Olympics.
Duvenhage told The Citizen that Zille’s stunts are getting attention.
“This is an indication that she’s hitting the media, and we know that Joburg has fundamental infrastructural challenges, and to focus on this as a legacy of the ANC is definitely going to benefit her campaign. I have no doubt about it.
“It’s interesting that the DA and other parties are focusing on basic service delivery. Potholed streets are becoming a symbol of the inability of the ANC to govern and to deliver services in a proper way,” Duvenhage said.
Watch: Helen Zille swims in a Joburg pothole
⛱️🌊 Just another day in the City of Johannesburg.
Let’s get Joburg working. Register to #VoteDA. Visit https://t.co/SzMWMxGkD8. pic.twitter.com/et8oAkQw8v– DA Gauteng (@DAGauteng) March 30, 2026
ALSO READ: Helen Zille reveals DA will take Joburg Water and the city to court over water crisis
No clear road
Duvenhage added that while Zille hopes her stunts will propel her to the Johannesburg mayoralty, they are only part of her campaign.
“I will compare it to cards, and you have a certain hand to play. She doesn’t have all the cards. But what she has is enough to probably give her a position if, and this is a very important if, if the ANC is performing like some analysts are predicting they will perform close to 20%,” Duvenhage said.
“But if that type of scenario is playing out, I would say anything below 30% will strengthen her hand, but then again, there’s another hand that may be played, and that is a possible alliance between the ANC, the EFF, the MK party and the IFP, that can sideline the party, even if the DA gets the majority support.
“[If] they are the biggest party in Johannesburg, it is not automatic for her to become the next mayor. But her position will be a lot stronger,” said Duvenhage.
Will Joburg’s citizens vote for the DA?
Duvenhage stated that analysis from the Social Research Foundation (SRF) indicates that about 80% of Johannesburg’s citizens believe that the DA will do a better job.
“This is not equal to voting for the DA. In fact, a lot of them will, rather, stay absent or whatever the case may be, not going to vote.”
Johannesburg, which is South Africa’s economic powerhouse, is facing a crippling governance crisis.
The basic infrastructure of urban life is failing amid a deepening water crisis, potholes and traffic lights and street lights no longer working across vast areas of the city.
In February, Zille accused the ANC of “running Joburg like a party that knows the future is somebody else’s problem”.
Zille’s priorities
Zille made the remarks at the party’s manifesto launch at Johannesburg City Hall as the country prepares for the local government elections later this year.
Zille outlined five priorities which she said the DA will “achieve in five years,” including providing reliable water and electricity, repairing roads and potholes, creating jobs, maintaining law and order and hiring professionals to run the city.
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