uThukela District Municipality announced hard-hitting water restrictions for Ladysmith and surrounding areas.

This comes after the worst drought to hit the area in the last 30 years.

With immediate effect, residents can no longer water gardens, fill their swimming pools, use sprinkler systems or wash cars.

With spot fines of R2500 per offence, a simple car wash could prove very costly.

So far, uThukela have not targeted business car-washes.

Ladysmith has been spared the effects of the drought for over a month, while other towns like Dundee and Vryheid were already in full water lock-down mode several weeks ago.