National soccer body the South African Football Association (SAFA) has apologised to the public for not being able to watch Saturday afternoon’s Bafana Bafana – Nigerian African Cup of Nations qualifier. SAFA says the SABC did not broadcast the game as it is still in discussions with the public broadcaster to seek a resolution to broadcast rights.
In the discussions which started early this month, SAFA made a ten-million-rand offer but lowered it to R7.5 million.The public broadcaster declined the gesture.
” We understand that football is supported by people who do not earn much income, and they are all over South Africa. So those people would have loved to see the match on TV. The amount that we asked SABC to pay, they did not want to pay, even when we decreased that amount or even go to an extend of saying, let us agree that the payment would be made later, they were not willing to broadcast the match. So therefore as SAFA we apologise, but we assure them that we would still engage SABC, so that we can be able to assure people that they would be able to see the future matches of Bafana Bafana as well as the Banyana Banyana, when they play, whether in South Africa or outside South Africa, says SAFA NEC member, Mzwandile Maforvane.
Read SABC statement below:
