A viral pothole in Johannesburg has got the internet giggling (and sighing in frustration) after graduating from road problem to tiny ecosystem:
Johannesburg, South Africa (19 January 2024) — A Johannesburg pothole has gone viral for all reasons funny and slightly concerning.
We all know that one pothole. The one you have to brace yourself for in the morning before work. The swimming pool just waiting to happen on a rainy day. Or, the one that takes on the characteristics of an aggressive pimple; returning back time after time after time.
One pothole has earned its not-so-proud place on South African Twitter (X), and we couldn’t help but chuckle at the pure satirical creativity of the users who weighed in on its… aesthetic?
As we all know, X is a pretty sassy place where sarcasm runs rife. However, under the guise of humour on this post, an important and obvious message is spotlighted: this is what happens when effort isn’t put in to take care of the little things. Because small problems grow (sometimes quite literally).
Still, getting a message out there through humour is what South Africans do best (especially when it comes to a viral pothole). Something else South Africans do pretty well though, is take up initiative when authorities do not. Case in point? The Joburg resident in his 80s who made headlines for all the time he spent fixing exactly this kind of problem.
The latest viral pothole posted by Gareth van Onselen appears to be slowly transitioning from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s problem to that of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. We’re also not sure if a small family of critters has taken up residence here, but we wouldn’t be surprised.
Strap in for a laugh and hopefully, a bit of drive to make a difference:
One of my favourite JHB potholes. Coming along so nicely. pic.twitter.com/U3vzjTOQRa
— Gareth van Onselen (@GvanOnselen) January 15, 2024
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Cue the iconic comments:
“Who got the contract for this garden?”—@rowpolo
“Dunno..just needs some pot plants and paving to brighten it up?”—@BlueNip
“You should apply to have it shown at the Chelsea Flower Show.”—@Pete_carswell
“Budget cuts at the Botanical Gardens?”—@okapidavid
“when I’m big I want to be a traffic circle.”—@rfbarnard
“I’m no horticulturalist but it looks like it needs some fertiliser?”—@LiebenbergCarl
“Maybe it will have its own coffeeshop soon.”—@Driftwood077
“It’s like a little pocket park.”—@freqflyer
“Reforesting is a vital strategy to fighting climate change.”—@ienzmm
Sources: X
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