“Go to Khayelitsha”: Mzansi Reacts After Chef Accuses Thieves of Stealing Cape Town Potholes

• Mzansi cracked jokes after a visiting chef claimed criminals stole Cape Town’s potholes, leaving unusually smooth roads
• The satire mocked the DA-run metro, escalating into demands that the party return missing potholes, as social media users in Mzansi howled with laughter
• The chef’s viral Cape Town video prompted South Africa to compare smooth city roads with crater-filled streets elsewhere nationwide

South Africans burst into laughter after a visiting chef jokingly accused criminals of pulling off the ultimate Cape Town heist of stealing every last pothole and leaving the city’s roads suspiciously smooth.

The satire, aimed squarely at the DA-run metro, had social media users howling as the joke escalated into a mock demand for the party to return what was allegedly taken.

The viral moment unfolded in Cape Town on 10 January 2026, when Chef Thabo Ncube shared a Facebook video questioning how a city often associated with crime could be missing one of South Africa’s most familiar urban features. His rant suggested that potholes had not been fixed, but rather stolen, and that residents should pressure the DA to bring them back.

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The humour struck a chord because potholes have become a national headache. From Gauteng to the Eastern Cape, motorists regularly complain about damaged tyres, bent rims and endless detours. Against that reality, the idea of a city with barely visible potholes seemed so unreal that it became a comedy.

Many viewers joked that the chef would have to visit townships like Khayelitsha to see “authentic” Cape Town potholes, while others leaned into the gag, suggesting the city was only hiding them because it was the festive season a few weeks ago.

Regular maintenance keeps the city roads smooth

The difference between Cape Town roads and those in other cities is that the city relies heavily on resident reporting systems that flag potholes early, allowing response teams to act before problems spiral out of control. During dry weather, permanent repairs using hot-mix asphalt are prioritised, as they last longer than temporary patches. When winter hits and rain becomes persistent, temporary cold-mix repairs are often used to keep roads drivable until conditions allow permanent fixes.

Cape Town also benefits from relatively stronger drainage systems, reducing water damage to road surfaces. However, illegal dumping, greywater runoff onto roads, ageing underground pipes, and heavy winter rains still create potholes every year.

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In the Facebook clip, Thabo Ncube filmed himself marvelling at the state of Cape Town’s roads, theatrically questioning how he could spend a full day without encountering even one pothole.

Watch the Facebook video below:

Facebook react to the potholes

Viewers across Mzansi laughed and drew sharp comparisons to the crater-filled roads they navigate daily.

Silvestor Thomas commented:

Go to Khayelitsha Bafo, that's where they get dumped.

Hayley Eagle said:

Greetings from beautiful Cape Town. We have 'Pothole police', mobile pothole repair teams, and local online reporting systems as preventive measures. Enjoy your stay, no pothole insurance necessary.

Alex Foster wrote:

They have transferred them to Welkom. Please steal these too.

Tony Graham Hensberg commented:

They were transferred to the Eastern Cape. The ANC said they don't have enough.

Arthur Petersen said:

It's been donated to the local suburbs until festivals and holidays are over. Come back in May.

3 more Briefly News Cape Town-related article:

• Briefly News previously reported that an international traveller visited Cape Town and compared the scenery and other things to two Asian cities.
• A Cape Town woman struggled against fierce winds outside Cape Town municipal offices, losing her bag to the gusts.
• A Cape Town man who worked at a packaging company for 13 years was fired after security found a toilet roll in his bag.

Source: Briefly News