Helen Zille visited the Yeoville reservoir complex this week to illustrate the state of water infrastructure in the city.
The Johannesburg municipality has expressed dissatisfaction with Helen Zille for allegedly breaching the city’s security protocols.
MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Service Department, Jack Sekwaila, stated on Thursday night that Zille had gained entry to a Johannesburg Water facility without permission.
He added that an investigation is to be undertaken to identify who was responsible for allowing the 75-year-old and her team to access the site.
City assets ‘not for campaigning’
The former Cape Town mayor officially launched her Johannesburg mayoral campaign earlier this month, but has been on the streets since late 2025.
Since stating her claim for the top job in Johannesburg, Zille has used several of the city’s well-known shortcomings as campaign props.
She has been seen filling potholes, visiting water construction sites, inspecting abandoned buildings and directing traffic at an intersection with dead traffic signals.
Sekwaila said that city assets were governed by strict safety protocols.
“In light of the recent incident at the Yeoville reservoir complex, I have requested that Johannesburg Water conduct a formal investigation to identify how unauthorised personnel gained entry.
“We will not allow political parties to use the city’s strategic assets for campaigning.
“Such infrastructure should remain off-limits to political activities, and we will pursue legal action against anyone who unlawfully enters these sites,” Sekwaila stated.
Zille’s team was contacted for comment, and feedback will be added when forthcoming.
Site in disrepair
The DA’s mayoral candidate visited the Yeoville reservoir this week, illustrating how easy it was to access the site via the unlocked gate.
Once there, she found young men loitering on the property, leaks in the reservoir’s structure and residents accessing fresh water from an open manhole cover.
Sekwaila explained that one of the three reservoirs at the site had been decommissioned, but was part of a larger plan to refurbish 22 reservoirs, which was still in the procurement phase.
He added that water from the leak was being “systematically redirected” into the stormwater system to prevent the flooding of public spaces.
“We recognise that we are facing ongoing challenges related to frequent vandalism in some of our reservoirs.
“We are actively working to enhance our security measures and operational strategies to protect our infrastructure and ensure the safety of the surrounding community,” Sekwaila concluded.
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