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The South African première of Running Dry, a 90-minute documentary that focuses on the global water crisis, was screened at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria on Monday evening, 6 November 2006. Writer, producer and director of the documentary, Jim Thebaut, and the narrator, Jane Seymour, attended the première. Mrs Lindiwe Hendricks, Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, hosted the event and delivered the keynote address, while Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, CSIR President and CEO, welcomed the guests. The event was organised by the CSIR and Thames Water of the UK.
The purpose of the documentary is a global call to action regarding the evolving world water humanitarian crisis. Running Dry sets out to raise awareness regarding the worsening global humanitarian water crisis, a message that is particularly relevant in South Africa. The film focuses on life-and-death crises with water and sanitation in China, India, South Asia, South Africa and the Middle East. The film highlights the severity of the crisis and presents a spectrum of solutions available to solve it.
South Africa as an economy is constrained by water scarcity, and increasingly by deteriorating water quality. This can limit future economic development and is thus a strategic issue. The prevalence of HIV/Aids is also an important factor, highlighting the need to have access to clean water and sanitation as a foundation for human health. The CSIR is therefore acutely aware of the urgency of addressing these issues. It focuses attention on assessing and managing water resources to ensure an optimal supply of quality water to users, while ensuring the integrity of the resource so that future economic growth and prosperity can still become a reality in spite of these environmental constraints. This research is conducted in the areas of groundwater, water ecosystems, health and governance towards the CSIR's commitment to achieving impact on quality of life and growing the economy, both nationally and regionally.
Dr Anthony Turton of the CSIR was one of the external reviewers of the documentary, and Thebaut's southern African advisor on water issues. "I am most impressed with the film. Jim Thebaut has handled a complex issue with sensitivity and insight. In my view he has captured the essence of the problem in a way that enables a broader audience of non-specialists to understand and thus intervene in a variety of different ways. This film empowers the viewer to get involved in some way or another, even if it is just by lobbying their local political leadership. I am proud to have been involved professionally with Running Dry and only did so because of my personal respect for Jim Thebaut," comments Turton.
The project was inspired by former US Senator Paul Simon's powerful book, "Tapped Out". Presentations of the documentary are taking place on an international basis in conjunction with in-depth discussions regarding the crisis for the purpose of educating policy makers, educators, students and the general public. Ultimately it is planned that Running Dry will be released in theatres and viewed on television world-wide.
Water resource research at the CSIR
By Bettina Genthe
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| CSIR President and CEO, Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, with Running Dry narrator Jane Seymour, producer Jim Thebaut, and Sir Paul Lever of Thames Water (back) |
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| Bettina Genthe, CSIR spokesperson at the media briefing, with Jane Seymour and Jim Thebaut
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