Selby businesses forced to spend thousands to stay afloat amid Joburg’s water crisis

Daily Maverick · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · Apr 14, 2026 · 938 words · By Naledi Mashishi

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about Water Crisis Impact on Business

Cecil Kagan, CEO of furniture company Calgan Recliners, should be using revenues to buy new equipment, hire new staff and expand operations to compete with international competitors such as China.

Claims checked 14

Techniques found 1

Topics 1

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Cecil Kagan, CEO of furniture company Calgan Recliners, should be using revenues to buy new equipment, hire new staff and expand operations to compete with international competitors such as China.

Why it matters

Instead, he’s forced to sink another R60,000 into drilling a borehole for the third time in the hopes of reaching a stable supply of water.

Common ground

Kagan’s company is based in Selby, an industrial suburb in Johannesburg which has been battling an extended water crisis since as early as October 2025.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Water Crisis Impact on Business story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that On 7 April 2026, businesses were still facing an inconsistent water supply, with cuts lasting from a few hours to weeks?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-04-14-hundreds-of-jobs-at-risk-as-s…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Appeal to Fear 95% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 7

schedule Pending 4

check_circle Corroborated 2

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info

Claim 1: “On 7 April 2026, businesses were still facing an inconsistent water supply, with cuts lasting from a few hours to weeks.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results mention Selby businesses going without water for 'nearly nine months,' but none specifically confirm the date '7 April 2026' or the precise nature of the cuts on that date. The evidence is suggestive but not specific enough to corroborate the date.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Selby is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, 12 miles (19.3 km) south of York on the River Ouse. At the 2021 Census, it had a population of 17,193. The town grew around Selby A…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selby

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Selby Mfanelo Mbenenge (born 18 March 1961) is the Judge President of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa. He joined the bench as a puisne judge in July 2015 and was elevated t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selby_Mbenenge

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Anthony Samuel Selby (26 February 1938 – 5 September 2021) was an English actor. With a career that spanned 71 years, he was known for his roles as Corporal Percy Marsh in the ITV sitcom Get Some In! …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Selby

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 2: “Cecil Kagan, CEO of furniture company Calgan Recliners, should be using revenues to buy new equipment, hire new staff and expand operations to compete with international competitors such as China.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results provided are generic or unrelated to the specific business advice given in the claim. No independent news sources or authoritative evidence were found to corroborate the specific advice regarding Cecil Kagan's company needing to expand to compete with China.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Quora is a place to gain and share knowledge. It's a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers. This empowers people to learn from each other…
https://www.quora.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A complete hero equipment tier list for April 2026, ranking all 34 pieces across six heroes — from must-upgrade SS-tier staples to the F-tier traps that will drain your ores for nothing.
https://www.ldshop.gg/blog/clash-of-clans/hero-equipment-tie…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Companies are prioritising portfolio diversification, localised product adaptation, and strategic partnerships to capture unmet demand and enhance their competitive positioning.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/europe-short-term-material-ha…

schedule

Claim 3: “Previously, Johannesburg Water told eNCA that the in Selby crisis was caused by severe damage to a 900mm pipeline linked to the Hector Norris pump station and that repair work is ongoing. However, no completion date was given.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 4: “A News24 report found that hundreds of staff members in Selby factories were without permanent work because of the impact the water crisis had on operational costs.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 5: “he’s forced to sink another R60,000 into drilling a borehole for the third time in the hopes of reaching a stable supply of water.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results discuss general borehole drilling costs (ranging from R14,900 to R500,000), but none specifically confirm that Cecil Kagan spent R60,000 on a third borehole drilling attempt.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — This video likely explores a method for drilling a borewell, which is a narrow shaft in the ground used to access groundwater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sKVXGXp3T4

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — LIMPOPO LDT DRILLING have discounted Water Drilling Packages available from as little as R14 900. It comes with 30m Drilling, Electric Pump, PVC Casing, Borehole Electrical Pack and 1m Steel Casing. D…
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/borehole-drilling-prices

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Industrial borehole: The cost of drilling a borehole for industrial use can range from R 200,000 to R 500,000. Borehole Drilling Cost per Metre in South Africa.
https://gautengboreholedrillers.renot.co.za/how-much-does-it…

info

Claim 6: “The official opposition party, the DA, has been sounding the warning bells since October 2025, when it said that up to 4,000 jobs are at risk because of the water crisis in Selby.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One web search result explicitly states that the DA warned about 4,000 job losses due to the Selby water crisis, but no other independent sources corroborate this specific figure or warning.

schedule

Claim 7: “Julian Gounder, the manager for 1 Stop Auto Glass, said the water situation has worsened over the six weeks as the City has done repair work on infrastructure.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 8: “Kagan’s company is based in Selby, an industrial suburb in Johannesburg which has been battling an extended water crisis since as early as October 2025.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm that Selby has faced significant and extended water issues. One result mentions the crisis affecting Coronationville, Selby, and Marshalltown, and another notes Selby has faced issues for 'nine months.' While the specific date 'October 2025' is not confirmed by the search results, the general theme of an extended water crisis in Selby is corroborated by multiple sources.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — David Lynn Selby (born February 5, 1941) is an American film, television, and stage actor and writer. He played Quentin Collins on the daytime soap Dark Shadows (1968–1971) and Richard Channing on the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Selby

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Selby Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey and current Anglican parish church in the town of Selby, North Yorkshire, England. It is a member of the Major Churches Network in England.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selby_Abbey

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 9: “The business used to have its JoJo tanks filled for free by Joburg Water. But Notlowitz said that since the water crisis deepened across the city earlier this year, the tankers no longer come regularly. As a result, it has to spend R9,000 a week on 15 kilolitres of water to fill out the tanks and remain operational.”

CORROBORATED

Two separate web search results report the specific cost and volume: spending R9,000 weekly on 15 kilolitres of water due to reduced free tank fills, corroborating the claim.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — As a result, it has to spend R9,000 a week on 15 kilolitres of water to fill out the tanks and remain operational.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-04-14-hundreds-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — These were crazy dangerous so everything was performed under professional supervisionJack Link's Jerky can fuel anything. Scan the code or visit the link to ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyiG6uw-6pA

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Supply of equipment and consumables for the printing of face masks and other surgical safety equipment, by means of sublimation, Pad and Screen printing. These products include N95 face mask, Disposab…
https://www.chemosol.co.za/

help

Claim 10: “The city’s water supplies continue to crumble, largely driven by failing infrastructure and vandalism, resulting in nearly half of all clean water being lost to burst pipes and leaky reservoirs.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was gathered from the web search or Wikipedia that addresses the specific claim about Johannesburg losing nearly half of its clean water to burst pipes and leaks.

info

Claim 11: “For Kagan’s factory, which employs between 700 and 800 people, the lack of water causes day-to-day disruptions, including a lack of sanitary ablution facilities for staff.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results confirm that Calgan Recliners is a manufacturer in South Africa. However, none of the provided evidence sources mention the specific employment numbers (700-800 people) or the direct consequence of lacking water leading to a lack of sanitary ablution facilities.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Explore Calgan's range of handcrafted recliner chairs, sofas, and lounge suites. Made in South Africa, our recliners offer comfort, durability, and style.
https://calgan.co.za/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — About Calgan Recliners Calgan Recliners is a leading manufacturer of premium lounge suites in South Africa. Known for their exceptional recliner couches, recliner chairs, and recliners, the company ha…
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/779917677/calgan-recliners-c…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — RU. Calgan Recliners. @calganrecliners5102. • 10 подписчиков • 1 видео.
https://www.youtube.com/@calganrecliners5102

info

Claim 12: “It cost us over R2-million to build a tank for the water so that we can retain our insurance policies. Otherwise the insurance won’t insure us. And you can’t run a business like this without fire insurance because if you do that, the banks won’t lend you the money to run the business because they’re at huge risk”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results are entirely unrelated to the claim, providing generic content about 'Tier Lists' on TierMaker. Therefore, no evidence was found to support the claim that Calgan Recliners spent R2-million on a water tank for insurance purposes.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 14, 2019 · Create a Youtuber Tier List tier list. Check out our other YouTube and Streaming tier list templates and the most recent user submitted YouTube and Streaming tier lists.
https://tiermaker.com/create/youtuber-tier-list-5102

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jul 28, 2024 · The ultimate YouTuber tier list features YouTubers from all over the world from different types of content fields and there are surely many of them (Mr. Beast, Markiplier, PewDiePie, et…
https://tiermaker.com/create/ultimate-youtuber-tier-list-168…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Create a tier list related to your favorite YouTube videos, channels or Twitch streamers.
https://tiermaker.com/categories/youtube-and-streaming

info

Claim 13: “Kagan is not alone. The deepening crisis has raised the cost of business for many in the area, particularly on Trump Street. Further up the road, Chemosol, a printing business that employs 45 people and has been in the area for 40 years, has been without water for two months.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One web search result mentions Chemosol's struggles in the context of the water crisis, stating it has been without water for a period, but the specific detail of 'two months' is not corroborated by a second independent source.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Typically, the rule of threes contains the following: One can survive three minutes without breathable air (unconsciousness). One can survive three hours without shelter in a harsh environment (i.e. e…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_threes_(survival)

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Living without food and water isn't smart and it won't take long before you begin suffering from dehydration. Learn about living without food and water.
https://www.mapquest.com/travel/survival/wilderness/live-wit…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Food and water consumption are essential components to life. So how long can you go without water before the effects of dehydration kick in?
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/how-long-ca…

schedule

Claim 14: “Johannesburg Water has introduced a WhatsApp-based tanker request system, but this remains unreliable. Tankers are often delayed, do not arrive, or fail to deliver as scheduled. Moreover, the lack of clarity around billing for these services makes accurate budget planning difficult”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.