The highly anticipated friendly between South Africa and Zambia, scheduled for Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, is hanging by a thread as SABC finds itself in hot water over unpaid broadcast fees. According to a senior SAFA official, the public broadcaster owes more than R25-million - a debt that has accumulated since the start of a new three-year television rights agreement signed last year.

SAFA, already grappling with financial strain, has issued a stern ultimatum: settle the outstanding amount or risk a nationwide blackout of Saturday’s match. The impasse has sparked concern across the football community, with both institutions reportedly facing economic challenges. Should the broadcast be pulled, it would likely trigger widespread frustration among millions of fans who rely on SABC’s free-to-air coverage to follow the national team.

In a clear break from tradition, SAFA made a pointed statement this week by shifting Bafana Bafana’s squad announcement away from SABC’s Auckland Park studios — a venue that had hosted every call-up briefing since Hugo Broos took charge. Instead, the national team list for the Zambia friendly was unveiled at SAFA House in Nasrec.

“How do you go on air and lambast your partners? It does not make sense, especially when you know they have not paid what is due or met your contractual obligation. It’s just ludicrous,” said the NEC member.

“They are just being unfair and not meeting their side of the deal. They got away with the recent World Cup qualifiers because with those matches, they deal directly with CAF and Fifa, now they have to deal with us,” concluded the informer.

Said SABC head of communication Mmoni Ngubane: “The SABC and SAFA enjoy a long-standing partnership focused on delivering South African football to audiences across the country.

“The corporation does not discuss the details of confidential commercial agreements in the media and will therefore not entertain assertions or speculation relating to such matters. The SABC remains committed to working closely with SAFA to ensure that national football continues to be accessible to all South Africans everywhere,” Ngubane concluded.

As tensions simmer between SAFA and the SABC, both parties have only a few days left to find common ground before Saturday’s fixture.

Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana’s Broos will remain focused on footballing matters, using the upcoming friendly against Zambia as a crucial tune-up in South Africa’s build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations, set to kick off in Morocco this December.