ANGRY doctors at Kgapane Hospital outside Modjadjis-kloof in Limpopo say they are being forced to operate by candlelight when delivering babies - every time there was an electrical power failure.

They say management has not responded to repeated requests over the last four months to repair a damaged generator.

The hospital again experienced a power failure at the weekend, forcing doctors to use candles in casualty and the maternity wards.

A doctor, who asked to remain anonymous, told Sowetan that it was "very difficult" to operate on patients with only light provided by candles - and that most babies who were born prematurely and needed incubators ended up dying.

The doctors accused the hospital's acting chief executive officer Mantwa Mabangwa of doing nothing to solve the problem.

Selby Makgotho, spokesperson for the provincial department of health, said they were now trying to deal with the problem.