The South African Football Association have confirmed that Bafana Bafana's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sao Tome will not be broadcasted due to a 'breakdown of negotiations'.
Bafana are set to lock horns with Sao Tome and Principe in their second Afcon clash when they meet at the Nelson Mandela Stadium on Monday.
Safa and the Sao Tomean Football Federation officially signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreeing that South Africa will host the two Afcon matches on 13 and 16 November.
The two countries mutually agreed that due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic that everything in their power should be done to safeguard the interests of players and officials. Therefore, both parties agreed that the first and return-leg matches will be played in South Africa.
The two nations agreed that this historic arrangement, that has since been relayed to Caf, was precipitated by flights restriction within the African continent and health dangers posed by the pandemic.
Part of the MOU reads that 'the two Parties agreed to cooperate with each other to assure the good continuity of the qualification phase of the 2021 TOTAL AFCON and have therefore reached an agreement to play both matches in South Africa'.
However, Safa communications head Dominic Chimhavi explained that a breakdown in negotiations between the SABC and Sao Tome was the cause of the television blackout.
'Seems there has been a breakdown of negotiations between the broadcaster [SABC] and Sao Tome [home team] regarding televising this afternoon's match. Since this is Sao Tome's home game, South Africa has no say in the matter,' said Chimhavi.
