A zero sum game

On so-called Day Zero, the drought-stricken city of Cape Town will turn off its water taps, forcing its four million inhabitants to queue for water, distributed in strict, tiny rations

Cape Town is experiencing severe drought, with its main dam at Theewaterskloof only at 10 per cent capacity, leading to fears that it may soon become the first ever developed city in the modern world to run out of water Pic: Getty

In the beginning, it was April 12. Then April 16. April 21. April 29. May 11. July 9. Finally and suddenly, at the end of March, Day Zero was postponed to sometime in 2019.

“Day Zero”. The name for the day that the drought-stricken city of Cape Town, South Africa, turns off its taps, forcing almost four million residents to queue up to collect 25 litres of water per person, per day.

Cape Town has been beleaguered by drought since 2015....

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