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‘This film has turned me into a bit of a water activist because I’ve seen the impact of having very little water on people and how important it is to a dignified life.’ – Film maker, Rehad Desai
YASEEN BARDIEN
CAPE TOWN faces a dire water crisis, yet it does not form part of daily conversations.
It is easy to forget that in 2018 we were on the brink of day zero. While those who have easy access to clean running water often don’t realise that this basic necessity is not available to thousands of others, and it becomes a struggle for them to carry out the most common daily tasks.
‘Capturing Water’, a film by Rehad Desai, perfectly encapsulates the water crisis in Cape Town. A screening of the film took place at the Bertha House in Mowbray, drawing a mix of water activists and concerned citizens who have grasped the urgency of the issue.
Through striking visuals and gripping interviews with activists, the documentary maintains a strong human focus that keeps one captivated throughout.
The documentary is told through multiple narratives: activist Faeza Meyer and her struggle to combat water cut-offs, including other daily barriers that poorer communities go through; farmer Nazeer Sonday’s legal battle to preserve and protect aquifer land from urban development; and activist Caroline Marx’s battle with the city, as she combats sewage wastage.
What makes this a must-see documentary are the individuals showing remarkable resistance. Despite the odds being stacked against them, they continue to fight for their futures and their human rights.
Each of the main protagonists go through their own struggles and they become activists through it. By using personal accounts, showing real and relatable stories, the documentary feels grounded and relevant, giving off a feeling that these scenarios can happen to you too.
All storylines share similar themes. For instance, water is a basic necessity for us; there will be issues for people; and you can identify the differences in efforts from governments to remedy each situation. Absence from high-ranking individuals from the City of Cape Town in poorer areas while they remain visibly present in affluent areas, delivers a powerful message.
To alternate between multiple storylines may allow for more stories to be told but there are downsides. While there is so much good that the documentary does, criticism can be labelled at the pacing of the film.
Rehad Desai, the director of the film, revealed to Muslim Views that during the production of the documentary he discovered a new outlook on the water crisis.
‘Well, I’ve changed. This film has turned me into a bit of a water activist because I’ve seen the impact of having very little water on people and how important it is to a dignified life.’
Dr Koni Benson, a lecturer in the Department of History at the University of the Western Cape., features prominently throughout the film. She told Muslim Views that there was a clear intention to show water across the Cape, follow people’s lives and how they cope.
‘We wanted to show the water across Cape Town and follow particular struggles and how people went through ups and downs,’ she said.
‘[During the making of the documentary] we saw how [people] were connected, disconnected and the documentary explained a whole lot of things that we all had questions about.’
Dr Benson called on people to watch the film as it highlights the ongoing struggle with water across the Cape and believes the current trajectory on the water crisis is not promising.
‘I would encourage people to watch it because we are surrounded by water and yet we’re facing water insecurity.
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‘Anyone who wants to understand and figure out what to do about it, they should watch the film because the path we’re going on is going to be a disaster.’
Desai echoes Dr Benson’s views, urging everyone to try and find solutions to this ever-growing water crisis.
‘Unless we really get on top of this water crisis and the water problem coming down the road, we are going to be in big trouble.
‘We know what the solutions are, and we’ve got to drive those solutions. This film is a solution driven and it’s transformative in that respect.’
Climate change is a global issue, and Cape Town faces significant water challenges. This film serves as a wakeup call for all and shows us what happens when using market led-solutions to solve the water crisis. Water should be for everyone. Therefore, if we don’t take urgent action, the situation will become worse, leaving the more vulnerable at a greater risk.
