Neighbours in Makhanda say they could not save Thandisizwe Nondlwana when his house caught alight

Thandisizwe Nondlwana, 75, died after his home in Makhanda caught alight on Friday. Neighbours say they could not help him because there was no water in the street.

Nandlwana, who lived with his wife and their two children, was home alone when the fire happened.

Neighbours say they felt helpless as there was very little they could do to douse the flames. They say firefighters arrived late.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

Nondlwana's niece, Nono, said she rushed to her uncle's house immediately when she was alerted to the fire. "When I arrived, the house was completely engulfed in flames. Onlookers who had come to assist stood helplessly holding empty buckets as there was no water."

Residents say water in their taps flows for a couple of hours and then stops before most people get home.

When GroundUp visited L street, where Nondlwana lived, on Wednesday, the taps were still dry, though houses in K street, just across from this area, had water.

Archbishop Nkosinathi Ngesi told GroundUp that residents had previously alerted the municipality to the dangers of the poor water supply.

"We believe if there was water, this death would not have happened," he said. Ngesi said there had not been consistent water supply in the area for two months. He said Nondlwana's death "is solely in the hands of the municipality".

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said police are investigating. "At this stage, it is unclear what led to the fire, but the scene was attended and processed by the fire forensic and fire experts."

Asked about the water challenges in Tantyi, municipal spokesperson Anele Mjekula denied that there were areas without water. "Water is available to all areas," he said.

Mjekula said water tankers are sent out to communities where there are water cuts.

He blamed the intermittent water supply on a water pump shortage and "excessive water leaks".