i would like to see a different government, because i'm losing hope from our government. south africans are realising that if they don't change the way they vote, south africa is going to end up in a very, very dark place. there will be anarchy, there will be - looting, all over this country, because nothing will be - working. if certain things are not resolved, it will become a failed state. the anc, mandela's party has ruled uninterrupted for 29 years. is a day of reckoning coming? welcome to hard talk on the road from south africa. i'm stephen sachar. back in 1994, the one

overwhelming emotion in this country was hope. the repressive, racist apartheid regime had been toppled. the new power in the land was the african national congress, promising a better life for all south africans. well, three decades on, it is time to judge how the anc is doing. for too many south africans, this looks and feels like a story of failure. khayelitsha township, cape town. nestled under majestic table mountain. a sprawling reminder of south africa's status as the most unequal society on earth. in africa's most advanced economy, at least half of young people can't find work. life here is never easy, but right now, south africa's power crisis

is hitting the poorest hardest. no one in khayelitsha wants to be sick when the power is off. but it happens every day. the main township hospital has had to adapt to what they call "load shedding". the man in charge is david binza. with load shedding now in place, and the different stages instead of reducing they are actually increasing. we have had to adjust our lives and work around that. now, as we are working together to 12 o'clock, we have to switch off our ct scan machine. scan machines have to go off? yes, and that service has to come to a hold. because there is a danger it could damage the machinery. we have experience of that. do you? it's notjust danger, it's lived reality. if we lose the power to this machine. it switches off. it goes to our generator before it takes off.

so, it's about two to three minutes and then this is going to be down for that much. so, you're saying for two or three minutes, a patient who was on this respirator, being kept alive by this respirator, the machine will go down? yes. because there is no power. and then what happens? if we do not have now an innovator, like we have now, then this means we will have to disconnect and manually ventilate that patient. so, you mean the nurses and doctors have too literally manually pump the oxygen? yes, for the patient to be alive. because the three minutes is just enough for the patient to get brain damage. exactly. so, we cannot say we're going to wait for power and do nothing. this is an extra level of stress. absolutely. in an emergency situation anyway, and suddenly, you have to think about power, too. absolutely. and sometimes, even if the generator takes over, which will then supply power to this wonderful piece of equipment,

sometimes, this wonderful piece of equipment packs up, and it doesn't come back immediately. because the disturbance in the power means the machinery goes wrong? absolutely. it is 12 noon, and the mains power has just gone off. it happens every day. today's power cut is supposed to last for four and a half hours. now, this hospital is fortunate. they have back—up generators, so the lights can come back on very quickly. but remember this, there are many smaller health care facilities across south africa which don't have those back—up generators, and where they're going to be without power for hours. the hospital has had to spend hundreds thousands of dollars on diesel generators. that is money not going to patient care. the health sector has asked to be excluded from power outages. the government says that is impossible.

so, the prognosis for this winter, say health leaders, is grim. doctor, this is a difficult question, but be honest with me. are patients coming to harm specifically because of the load shedding reality? we've not had, fortunately, any incident where patients died, or it has been significant harm, but i would say yes, because unfortunately it does impact on patients�* lives, because they can't get the care that they need at the time when they need it. so, we have to postpone the care and the patients have to come back when the load shedding kicks in. for big hospitals like this obviously, the generator kicks in, but for smaller clinics particularly in rural areas and poorer communities where we don't have the generators installed, people have to come

back or be diverted to other facilities. so that has obviously had an impact. countries in the world that are going to experience, or are experiencing this will say the same, we have to fix the load shedding problem. this is not sustainable going forward. we have to have better use of funding to make sure generators and they pay for the diesel and the fuel, and install solar panels at a significant cost. but we have to fix the load shedding, that is the long and short of it. south africa's power crisis has been a long time coming. for decades, it has relied on increasingly obsolete coal—fired plants. pleas from eskom, the state—owned energy company for massive government investment were ignored for too long. incompetence has been compounded by corruption. a former boss of eskom alleges criminal cartels with connections inside government have siphoned millions out of have siphoned billions out of

the company. for many south africans, electricity is the only utility they have access to. in much of khayelitsha township, piped water and sanitation are a distant dream. when you drive through khayelitsha township, itjust seems to go on, and on, and on. it is vast. now, we reckon about 1.4 million people live here. but the truth is, nobody really knows, because every year, more and more migrants arrive here from the rural areas, far beyond cape town. when it comes to service delivery, it is here that people are really feeling that the system isn't working. daily power cuts are killing local businesses. wiseman makabongwe bambata runs an upholstery business. show me inside your business, because i

want to see how many machines use electricity. but when the power is off, so it is a is off, so is his electric sewing machine. which of your machines need electricity? it is the compressor and the two sewing machines. so, one of your colleagues is on the sewing machine, this cannot work when you have a power cut. i cannot go without power. he can't meet orders, he loses business. this load shedding is affecting us a lot. so, if we close, there are a lot of people, i've got four people working here, so then, i have to... you'd have to let them go? i'd have to let them go, because there will be no job if this load shedding thing is going on. are all of your fellow shop owners, business owners, are they experiencing the same thing? i think that they experience the same thing as well. what about other basic services like water, sanitation, sewage...

do you have these services? this is what our government promised us from 1994, that it's going to provide for each and everyone for equal living. but it seems there is nothing like that happening. does that mean you would like to see a different government? yes, i would like to see a different government, because i'm losing hope from our government. but this is the anc. these are the people who say, stay with us, we give you stay with us, we gave you liberation. what would you say to that? anc is failing is a lot, man. i think they must, i don't know... i think they must deliver a lot from what they promised, because if they don't deliver, they're going to lose people a lot. because they are failing us a lot. at anc headquarters injohannesburg, they are proud of their central role in south africa's liberation story.

but the party of mandela is now a party in crisis. it is an anc government which can't keep the lights on. and party boss fikile mbalula, knows the harder load shedding hits south africa, the more damage it does to the ruling party. we are focused, in terms of dealing with it, it is an achilles�* heel, and i can't tell you tonight, or any time, that this is an easy matter for our government. surely, after covid—19, this is the biggest challenge that has actually faced us internally. it is very candid of you to say this is an achilles�* heel, because achilles�* heels tend to bring people down. and if this continues, it will bring the anc down, won�*t it? it will affect the fortunes of the anc to receive an outright majority. it will. how disappointed

are you with the state south africa is in today? south africa is undergoing challenges like many other countries. but i think, to put us into a category of a failed state is an exaggeration. you think that is a conversation that south africans are having amongst themselves? well, it comes from a pocket of the powerful thinkers in the country, who project us as displaying characteristics of a failed state, of course. we may not be too defensive to that. if certain things are not resolved, we will become a failed state. the impact of the power crisis reaches far beyond south africa�*s cities.

a three hour drive from cape town is some of the best citrus farming in the world. 60 tonnes of clementines harvested from just one hectare of western cape soil. picked, sorted, packed and shipped to supermarkets in britain. robert paterson has built this farming business up over three decades. it relies on irrigation, and that means it relies on the power to pump water. basically, every crop in the western cape, apart from wheat and rooibos tea is irrigated. so, the entire western cape is totally dependent on a reliable power supply, which we haven�*t got. the western cape is a mediterranean climate, so, we have a long hot summer period with basically no rain, and a relatively short winter, where it is supposed to rain. but for the past seven years, we have had to wait lower than

average rainfall, so we haven�*t been getting the winter rain that we need to fill our dams, so that we can irrigate the orchards and vineyards and everything for the summer. so, we have become even more dependent on underground water. as i listen to you, and thinking that this sounds like a nightmare scenario. you have a nightmare scenario. you have a long—term water shortage problem, which is being massively exacerbated by this immediate power problem. we onl had immediate power problem. - only had this level of load shedding from about january only had this level of load shedding from aboutjanuary or february. so, we have managed to survive this season, but if this happens next year, where we have another dry winter, and we have another dry winter, and we have another dry winter, and we have stayed six load shedding, which is where we are 11 hours a day out, i don�*t know how we will do it. honestly. know how we will do it. honestly-— honestly. here is why irrigation _ honestly. here is why irrigation matter - honestly. here is why irrigation matter so i honestly. here is why - irrigation matter so much. the local clanwilliam dharma is just 16% of full capacity. climate change is hitting the

western cape particularly hard. unreliable power could make farming here impossible. —— the local dam. according to anne patterson, robert�*s wife and business partner, many families are struggling. the agricultural sector, and with it, manyjobs, needs reliable power. it, many “obs, needs reliable ower. ~ ., ., ., , power. we farm in a fairly good and affluent — power. we farm in a fairly good and affluent area, _ power. we farm in a fairly good and affluent area, but - power. we farm in a fairly good and affluent area, but other. and affluent area, but other parts of the western cape, and smaller farms who don�*t have the access to capital or the access to financing at short notice, would not have been able to buy generators on the hop. and they would have lost their crops. we know of a couple of people that have actually lost their farms or have had to leave their farms orjust have had to leave their farms or just walk away from their farms. orjust walk away from their farms. �* , ., ., orjust walk away from their farms. �* ., ., orjust walk away from their farms. ., ., ~ ., ., farms. and you do not know how lona this farms. and you do not know how long this load — farms. and you do not know how long this load shedding - long this load shedding challenge is going to last? exactly. we get a promise that

they will sort it out, but yet it seems to just be all talk, and no action. and i think from and no action. and i think from a mental point of view, and from your psychic, we just do not know what the future holds. do you invest in your business? what do you do? we just don�*t know what the endgame is going to be. if know what the endgame is going to be. , ., ~' know what the endgame is going to be. , ., ~ ., to be. if you feel like that, our to be. if you feel like that, your neighbours _ to be. if you feel like that, your neighbours feel- to be. if you feel like that, your neighbours feel like l to be. if you feel like that, - your neighbours feel like that, other business people across this country feel like that. that is a catastrophe for the south african economy. it is. we are all— south african economy. it is. we are all affected. - south african economy. it is. we are all affected. all - we are all affected. all businesses are affected by this. it is the most serious thing you can do to the economy, is to cut off the power supply. economy, is to cut off the power sopply-_ economy, is to cut off the power supply. south africa's president. — power supply. south africa's president, cyril— power supply. south africa's president, cyril ramaphosa | power supply. south africa's. president, cyril ramaphosa is in trouble. and he knows it. at in trouble. and he knows it. at the in trouble. and he knows it. git the national disaster management centre has consequently classified the energy crisis and its impact is a disaster. energy crisis and its impact is

a disaster-— a disaster. heater declared a state of national _ a disaster. heater declared a state of national disaster - a disaster. heater declared a state of national disaster as l state of national disaster as load shedding worsened, but eskom still reckons outages may get worse as winter bites. south africa�*s opposition parties sends an opportunity. polls show anc support falling below 50%. when you said, not so long ago, there is a changing of the guard coming in south africa, the anc�*s decline is terminal, it is just a matter of how fast, did you really believe that? fit matter of how fast, did you really believe that? of course i believe that, _ really believe that? of course i believe that, and _ really believe that? of course i believe that, and i _ really believe that? of course i believe that, and i think - really believe that? of course i believe that, and i think it . i believe that, and i think it is a fair assessment about where the anc find themselves, in the last local government elections in 2021, for the first time in post—democratic south africa, they lost their majority and fell below 50%. this is obviously allied with the fact our economy is not growing, and we have 30 million people living in poverty, 12 million people unemployed, and load shedding, rolling blackouts, which have reached into every home and switched

off the lights, switched off our factories and switched off the economy. south africans are realising that if they don�*t change the way they vote, south africa is going to end up in a very, very dark place.- very, very dark place. south africa remains _ very, very dark place. south africa remains africa's - very, very dark place. south africa remains africa's mostj africa remains africa�*s most developed economy. from agriculture to mining to banking and tech, it still has vast potential. but 29 years after liberation from apartheid, few south africans would argue it has made the most of its assets. as the sun goes down on the cape town waterfront, it is still possible to glimpse mandela�*s rainbow nation. upbeat, optimistic, intent on reconciliation. but when darkness falls, just a

few miles away in khayelitsha township, the mood is as dark as the street lamps. ijoined a patrol of law enforcement officers tasked with crime prevention in an area wearily familiar with insecurity. when the lights are out, do you find that people stay indoors more? are there fewer people on the streets? �* . ., , , streets? actually, there is fewer people _ streets? actually, there is fewer people on _ streets? actually, there is fewer people on the - streets? actually, there is i fewer people on the streets. because of the darkness. cape town is the — because of the darkness. cape town is the murder _ because of the darkness. cape town is the murder capital - because of the darkness. cape town is the murder capital of i because of the darkness. cape town is the murder capital of a country which experienced 25,000 murders last year. criminal gangs, drugs, a policing system riddled with corruption, and endemic poverty make for a poisonous cocktail. and the levels of suspicion and fear rise when the lights are out. ~ ., ., fear rise when the lights are out. . ., ., ,., fear rise when the lights are out. ~ ., ., ., out. what are you doing with the stuff? — out. what are you doing with the stuff? this _ out. what are you doing with the stuff? this was - out. what are you doing with the stuff? this was a - out. what are you doing with the stuff? this was a routine j the stuff? this was a routine bust. the stuff? this was a routine bust- drugs _

the stuff? this was a routine bust. drugs and _ the stuff? this was a routine bust. drugs and knives, - the stuff? this was a routine l bust. drugs and knives, better no violence. just the background noise of the society close to the edge.— close to the edge. what is this the are close to the edge. what is this they are actually _ close to the edge. what is this they are actually smoking - close to the edge. what is this i they are actually smoking here? immediately, we can identify the criminal markings that have been edged all over on the inside of the premises. we see the number 28, one of the notorious prison gangs. we came to this premises now, and we were able to remove some persons that should not have been here, but in this case, you can see that this premises, this sports facility has really been stripped bare. you are looking at the light fixtures, and the copper, all the copper cabling and wiring has been removed. the rafters and light fittings, everything has been gone. it fittings, everything has been one. ., . fittings, everything has been ione, , fittings, everything has been one. , , ,, fittings, everything has been ione. , , ,, it gone. it has been stripped? it has been. _ gone. it has been stripped? it has been, and _ gone. it has been stripped? it has been, and unfortunately l has been, and unfortunately this has been throughout our facilities, and you�*ll find instances like this would load shedding. these facilities aren�*t protected. they are

unfortunately bright for the picking for these type of criminals and these gangs. south africans worry about the stability of their nation. back in 2021, there was widespread street violence and looting, after former anc president jacob zuma was jailed for defying the courts in his long—running battle over corruption charges. since then, there has been plenty of talk of a possible uprising of south africa�*s dispossessed. in his johannesburg h0, i met the country�*s most controversial and radical political leader. i�*m telling you that is going to be a revolution. let the greed collapse, and at sea what is going to happen. leta: greed collapse, and at sea what is going to happen.— is going to happen. lets the rid is going to happen. lets the grid collapse? _ is going to happen. lets the grid collapse? how- is going to happen. lets the grid collapse? how do - is going to happen. lets the grid collapse? how do you | is going to happen. lets the - grid collapse? how do you think south africans will feel hearing that? people losing theirjobs and with no income, and you just say... theirjobs and with no income, and you just say. . ._ and you just say. .. you are misinterpreting, _ and you just say. .. you are misinterpreting, i- and you just say. .. you are misinterpreting, i am - and you just say. .. you are misinterpreting, i am just. misinterpreting, i am just saying let the grid collapse as

it is going to happen, and see what will happen in this country. i�*m not wishing it. i�*m saying it is going to happen. and you will see what is going to happen. do you think that once the grid collapses, people are going to exchange roses with the government? people are going to rise, and when they rise, there will not be any leader who will be leading them. they will be leaderless, they will be anarchy, there will be looting all over this country, because nothing will be working. wiseman makabongwe bambata invited me to his khayelitsha home to meet his wife ruby and their two youngest children. how old are you? she is five years old. it how old are you? she is five years old-— how old are you? she is five ears old. ., . years old. it was evening. the ower years old. it was evening. the power was _ years old. it was evening. the power was out _ years old. it was evening. the power was out and _ years old. it was evening. the power was out and the - years old. it was evening. the | power was out and the anxiety was obvious. do you feel safe when there is no power? h0. was obvious. do you feel safe when there is no power? no, we don't. actually, _ when there is no power? no, we don't. actually, what _ when there is no power? no, we don't. actually, what i _ when there is no power? no, we don't. actually, what i do, - when there is no power? no, we don't. actually, what i do, i - don�*t. actually, what i do, i make sure all the kids are inside the house firstly, and

then we lock the door. we look at the gate. that is how i feel when there is no... when it is dark outside, that is how i feel when i know that i am safe. everybody must be inside. have you noticed that there is more crime when the power is off? . more crime when the power is off? , �* . ., , , off? yes. actually, it is. there is _ off? yes. actually, it is. there is a _ off? yes. actually, it is. there is a lot _ off? yes. actually, it is. there is a lot of - off? yes. actually, it is. there is a lot of crime i off? yes. actually, it is. l there is a lot of crime and there is a lot of screaming happening outside. so, i will hear screaming, everybody screaming when there is load shedding outside, and actually evenif shedding outside, and actually even if you can go outside right now it is very dark. do ou right now it is very dark. do you fear— right now it is very dark. do you fear for— right now it is very dark. do you fear for the future? because we are here and your family home, you have young children. do you fear for the future? . children. do you fear for the future? , ., ., future? yes, i do. i do actually- _ future? yes, i do. i do actually. a _ future? yes, i do. i do actually. a lot. - future? yes, i do. i do i actually. a lot. because, future? yes, i do. i do - actually. a lot. because, i fearfor actually. a lot. because, i fear for her when it is late,

she is crying. there is no electricity, we are using candles, so i do fearfor her. even for this one. yes, i do. pf through the darkness in khayelitsha and uc estate failing to deliver for many of its people. —— peer through the darkness. after 20 years in power, the anc risks being seen as the problem, not the solution. —— after 29 years in power.

hello there. the weather for half—term week continues to frustrate some but glorious for others. west has certainly been best — wednesday was the warmest day of the year so far, scotland just shy of 25. once again, along the east coast of scotland and england, it was cool and grey at times. that is because the high—pressure centred to the far north—west with the wind direction swinging round clockwise, it�*s always going to be driving in cloud off that chilly north sea. thursday, we start off grey and gloomy, damp after some drizzle, but the sunshine will come through, and into the afternoon once again we have those contrasts. south west england and wales, the west midlands and south coast — dry, sunny and warm. east anglia and east of the pennines, cool and breezy at times. more sunshine to the west of the pennines and into northern

ireland, and for western scotland the temperature peaks in the low 20s. so really a tale of two halves. where we have the best of the sunshine, that�*s where we will have the highest of the pollen, grass pollen as well at this time of year. low to moderate, especially on that east coast. the high pressurejust drifts a little further east. and we�*ll see subtle differences with that high, but it will mean more sunshine coming through on friday. slightly drier air and lighter winds and a good deal of dry, settled and sunny weather. it will still feel cooler along that exposed east coast, but you�*ll have the sunshine to go with it, which will hopefully compensate and once again sheltered western areas will see highs into the low 20s. the weekend sees the high pressure continue to try to push steadily eastwards, so some differences continue. if you are heading to the beaches, west is best once again, with the temperature

into the low 20s, but along the east coast we�*ll have sunshine as we head into the weekend. and we still continue to see the breeze coming from the north—east, and guess what? as we head into early next week, very little in the way of change, largely dry with the warmest and driest weather out to the west. take care.

live from london, this is bbc news. the bill is passed. a crucial bill that raises the us government�*s debt limit is approved by the house of representatives. it�*ll now head to the senate. a deadline looms for the uk government to release borisjohnson�*s unredacted whatsapp messages to the covid—19 inquiry. and the truth is out there — nasa collects hundreds of reports on what could be unidentified flying objects.