eskom's debt mountain of around $30 billion amounts to more than 8% of the country's gdp. that debt is guaranteed by the government, adding to what the country owes as a whole. meanwhile, national debt currently stands at 56% of total output and rising. it's going up. international banks describe eskom as "the single biggest threat" to south africa's economy. let's get more on this story with the bbc‘s africa business editor, larry madowo. hejoins us from he joins us from johannesburg. people are getting ready to vote today, what is the biggest thing on their minds as they head to the polls? sally, as the polls open here this morning, they are hoping whoever is elected can fix the economy. there are radical economic reforms necessary to get rid of corruption and create jobs in necessary to get rid of corruption and createjobs in this necessary to get rid of corruption and create jobs in this country. those of the two figures issues. you talk about unemployment is at a senior high, 27%, because of that a lot of people have traditionally voted for the ruling anc party says m

eskom's debt mountain, of around $30 billion, amounts to more than 8% of the country's gdp.hat debt is guaranteed by the government, adding to what the country owes as a whole. meanwhile, the national debt currently stands at 56% of total output and rising. just under. and it is rising. international banks describe eskom as the single biggest threat to south africa's economy. sally. let's go to a polling station injohannesburg. our africa business editor larry madowo is injohannesburg. larry, we've outlined some of the enormous challenges facing the winners of this general election. talk us through what voters are saying to you about the future. voters are hoping for more jobs when they cast their votes today for one of the 48 political parties. they hope it will be somebody who can wrestle with that 27% unemployment rate. half of young black south africans are without a job. that might explain why some of them did not feel they needed to vote, but apathy has been a major issue in this discussion around the election. the president says the anc is largely expected to win but

businesses especially small ones have been made more difficult as the state owned electricity provider eskom isn't trouble now it's also riddled with corruption and to make up for the missing billions is increasing the cost of electricity above inflation eskom is also experiencing massive operational problems south africans have to live through rolling blackouts now continued blackouts will further hamper south africa's economic growth economists warn that power cuts could shave 0.5 percent of g.d.p. we're joining me now from london is rosy a current chief economist for africa at standard chartered good to have you with us so ramaphosa has got some big challenges ahead of him doesn't he the biggest of which is unemployment the chronic khana me is growing at less than 2 percent that's far short of what it should be doing to create $275000.00 jobs a year. yes this is the case this south african economy has really struggled to achieve lasting momentum and if any of the high frequency data releases from the 1st quarter of this year are anything to go by there is even the risk of another economic

businesses especially small ones have been made more difficult as the state owned electricity provider eskom isn't trouble now it's also riddled with corruption and to make up for the missing billions is increasing the cost of electricity above inflation eskom is also experiencing massive operational problems south africans have to live through rolling blackouts now continued blackouts will further hamper south africa's economic growth economists warn that power cuts could shave 0.5 percent of g.d.p. joining me now from london is reza current chief economist for africa at standard chartered. good to have you with us sir ramaphosa has got some big challenges ahead of him doesn't he the biggest of which is unemployment the chronic khana me is growing at less than 2 percent that's far short of what it should be doing to create $275000.00 jobs a year. yes this is the case this south african economy has really struggled to achieve lasting momentum and if any of the high frequency data releases from the 1st quarter of this year are anything to go by there is even the risk of another economic contr

including government corruption a lack of jobs and poor public services and the troubled state utility eskom rationing power causing rolling blackouts that have hindered efforts to boost growth. in addition ram opposer is under pressure because the a.n.c. is losing voters to the more populist land reform policies of the f f so he's pressing ahead with the expropriation of white farmers without compensation but risks losing white support and that of the international community. cyril rama poses future is all but certain his preferred path is one of stability and growth but if this election doesn't hand the a.n.c. enough votes from a poser could find himself losing his grip altogether on the divided party so what issues do matter most to south africans in this election did he is christine one who has been testing the mood. i'm outside a polling station in so way to about four thousand people are expected to vote here today and these are some of the early risers that you're seeing behind me a few people of course a photo have told us all process takes about ten minutes once you're actually insi

businesses especially small ones have been made more difficult as the state owned electricity provider eskom isn't trouble now it's also riddled with corruption and to make up for the missing billions is increasing the cost of electricity above inflation eskom is also experiencing massive operational problems south africans have to live through rolling blackouts now continued blackouts will further hamper south africa's economic growth economists warn that power cuts could shave 0.5 percent off the g.d.p. joining me now from london is reza current chief economist for africa at standard chartered. good to have you with us sir ramaphosa has got some big challenges ahead of him doesn't it the biggest of which is unemployment the chronic khana me is growing at less than 2 percent that's far short of what it should be doing to create $275000.00 jobs a year. yes this is the case this south african economy has really struggled to achieve lasting momentum and if any of the high frequency data releases from the 1st quarter of this year are anything to go by there is even the risk of another economic

and the troubled state utility eskom rationing power causing rolling blackouts that have hindered efforts to boost growth. in addition ram opposer is under pressure because the a.n.c. is losing voters to the more populist land reform policies of the f.s.f. so he's pressing ahead with the expropriation of white farmers without compensation but risks losing white support and that of the international community. cyril rama poses future is all but certain his preferred path is one of stability and growth but if this election doesn't hand the a.n.c. enough votes from a poser could find himself losing his grip altogether on the divided party. and i agree on ram opposed to he came to power replacing jacob zuma who was plagued by scandals he was supposed to really clean the house in the country and his party how successful has he been in doing that. well it's too early to say because he's only been in power for about a year but he has been coming out with very strong words when it comes to fighting corruption and it was the same also during the campaign time this time around he was really strongl

it is a compelling argument, and i‘m hoping that investment over the years will enable eskom front lineillion, in the same period — to its lowest level since 1974. (ani)and there was a 98,000 increase in the number of eu nationals working in the uk in the first quarter of the year to a record high of 2.38 million. the prime minister‘s chief brexit negotiator, olly robbins, is going to brussels to discuss how changes might be made to the political declaration — a document which sets out the future relationship between the eu and the uk. back in westminster, theresa may is coming under increasing pressure from within her own party. 13 senior conservatives have written to the prime minister, warning her not to strike a compromise deal with labour over brexit. our assistant political editor, norman smith, is in westminster. there are similar concerns about the talks on the labour side, is it a matter of time before they fall apart? i think the truth is that the talks aren‘t dead, but are suspiciously lifeless. the reason, perhaps, is not to do with the technical disagreements between labour