• Komani shut as taps run dry:

There is no water in Komani.

Gift of the Givers has arrived, but the supply is down to the barest minimum.

Schools across the town have shut. Queenstown Girls High School, Queen’s College, Balmoral Primary and Hoërskool Hangklip are all affected.

The biggest mall in the region, Nonesi, is closed and four KFC outlets in the town have shut their doors.

Fights over water provided at emergency tankers broke out in Ezibeleni township.

Queen’s College principal Jansen van de Ryst said the call to close the school had been made because there was no water to flush the toilets.

Chris Hani district municipality spokesperson Tobeka Mqamelo said the lowest outlet valve at the main supply dam, Waterdown Dam, had been damaged when an official tried to open it last week.

Repairs would be completed by the end of the week.

Steers and Shell garage manager Lynn James said he was poised to close his businesses on Wednesday.

“Customers are inconvenienced by the toilets that are not working. They end up going to the river to relieve themselves,” he said.

“I have spent a lot of money carting water just to keep the coffee machine going and for washing the dishes.”

James said he had lost 50% of his normal trade.

“My two maintenance guys are running around carting water just to keep the business going,” he said.

Nonesi Mall manager Yolanda Moss said the mall had lost a lot of money renting mobile toilets.

“All the restaurants were struggling and have closed.

“Nonesi Mall KFC and the other three KFCs in town have closed as there is no water.

“There are people giving out borehole water in town, but that is not enough for the whole town,” she said.

Westbourne resident Simon Morris and Mlungisi resident Bulelani Qowa were applauded on social media for carting water to people.

Enoch Mgijima DA councillor Sakhumzi Mkhunqe has appealed in writing to Chris Hani district municipality speaker Mxolisi Koyo for relief, especially for Ezibeleni residents.

Chris Hani is the water authority for the region.

Koyo said: “Residents are struggling to do their basic daily activities like washing, laundry and cooking. When they get water, the water is contaminated and they are exposed to diseases.”

Chris Hani district municipality spokesperson Thobeka Mqamelo said it had requested national and provincial help.

She said the main supply dam, Waterdown, had fallen to 30% capacity.

Eight water trucks are supplying the town.

She said Gift of the Givers had arrived on Tuesday to distribute 3,168 litres of clean drinking water in bottles.

A truck carrying 7,500 litres went to Ezibeleni and trucks were headed to 14 areas, including Whittlesea and Komani.

DA Enoch Mgijima constituency leader Jane Cowley said she had requested the intervention of water and sanitation deputy minister David Mahlobo.–