Meet the Joburg councillor who turned his car into a tool for accountability

Driving through Johannesburg, you may have spotted a white van covered from bumper to bumper in bold, unapologetic graffiti and wondered who was behind the wheel. Phrases like “Fire the Mayor!”, “No Water,” and “No Accountability” scream from the bodywork in jagged black spray paint. You may have also wondered why a vehicle that looks like a rolling protest was parked right outside City Hall.

That vehicle belongs to the colourful Carlos Da Rocha, the Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor for Bez Valley (Ward 66), who is now serving his third term since the 2011 elections. Since being elected, Da Rocha has earned a reputation as an outspoken councillor in the City of Johannesburg.

He said his van was his way of holding the city accountable — a tactic to force city officials to find solutions to the community’s problems. His graffiti-covered car has become a symbol of public defiance and a moving billboard for accountability.

“There is no such thing as sending the city emails, because they won’t fix the problem. My way works, and I believe in it,” said Da Rocha.

What began as frustration with poor service delivery turned into a movement — literally. Da Rocha began expressing his outrage the only way he knew how: a method that was bold, visual, and unfamiliar to others. He began by covering his other car with messages such as “Fire the mayor!”, driving through Johannesburg’s streets and straight into council meetings to demand that officials take responsibility.

He claims this unconventional approach has successfully resolved many issues in his area, such as water leaks and power outages. Da Rocha patrols his ward in the van, identifying problems and recording videos to send to the relevant entities within the City of Johannesburg for action.

“I will do anything for my community. I don’t care if I break the rules, as long as I’m doing it for them,” he said.

Da Rocha has always been eccentric. Long before city politics and painted protest signs, his world roared with the sound of engines. Born in Portugal, he immigrated to South Africa at the age of 18. For 20 years, Da Rocha thrived in the motorcycle industry. He was a founder and member of the Crusaders Motorcycle Club and later helped expand the Patriots MC; motorcycles were his escape from a high-pressure life.

“It was a breakaway from stress,” he said.

Eventually, when the call to public service came, he made the difficult choice to close his motorcycle chapter and devote himself entirely to serving the public. DM

This story is produced by Our City News, a non-profit newsroom that serves the people of Johannesburg.