A South African politician goes snorkeling in a giant pothole to highlight city management failures

A 75-year-old woman running for mayor of South Africa’s biggest city went snorkeling in a large, water-filled trench in a suburban road in a stunt to draw attention to what she describes as years of mismanagement by the city’s authorities.

Helen Zille, a well-known South African politician, wore a wetsuit, a mask and snorkel, and a pink-and-white swimming cap as she doggy-paddled through the pool of muddy brown water in an upscale Johannesburg suburb.

The pool has been there for about three years because a burst water pipe hadn’t been properly fixed despite repeated attempts, she said.

Zille posted a video of herself in the trench that was picked up and broadcast by television news channels.

In it, she says sarcastically, “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 added before dipping part of