The Indian team in South Africa, according to an Indian Express report, was officially asked to shower for not more than two minutes, following unusually dry conditions in Cape Town.
While team India aiming to end a drought of Test series victory in South Africa, the people of Cape Town are struggling for water for daily use. Crisis Level 6 water restrictions has been enforced: the city council has approved just 87 litres per person per day or 10,000 litres for a month. A fine of 10,000 rands (a little over Rs 51,000) can be imposed on those who fail to follow the Level 6 water restriction.
“The street is choked with cars and trailers. Children and the elderly crowd around a place with puddles that has a pipeline with a signage that says: ‘The fountain’,” the report said.
“I find it embarrassing to add that one line after I have given the usual instructions about keys and kitchen cleanliness. To tell somebody not to flush can’t be a great start of gold standard in hospitality,” a local Airbnb owner was quoted in the report.
The local media, the report said, are talking about ‘Zero Day’ in April when the city may end up as the first city in the modern world to become waterless.
“When you have to worry about something as important as water, it’s difficult to spare some mind space for sports,” the report quoted a resident.
Leading up to the series, reports have also stated that the Indian team may not encounter the kind of bounce they are expecting from the Newlands track as the worst drought in many years has made it difficult for the groundsmen to prepare a pitch that suits the home team. The first Test starts on the January 5.
