SABC: Better late than never

IF YOU’RE planning to watch the African Nations Cup on SABC channels, brace yourself for late evenings in the next two weeks.

As the continental finals begin in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon this weekend, the public broadcaster yesterday confirmed it will only be able to show many of the matches played during the week on a delayed basis and not live.

The earliest a first-round weekday game can be shown on the SABC is 11.30pm, with others, according to their latest schedule, being beamed way after midnight even though they will have finished hours earlier.

Kick-off for first-round games at the Nations Cup in the west African countries is 6pm, 8pm and 9pm SA time, which would clash with popular SABC1 programmes such as Generations, Real Goboza, the Bold and the Beautiful and Khumbul’ekhaya.

The only time the SABC would be able to show games live is on weekends. On Saturday, they will show the opening game between Equatorial Guinea and Libya (8.30pm), and then the Ivory Coast-sudan clash the following day (6pm).

Those limited to SABC viewing will have to wait until late to watch top games from Monday. For instance, the Group D Ghana vs Botswana clash that takes place on January 24 will only be shown at 11.30pm, even though it kicks off at 6pm. You will have to wait for 2.30am to watch Libya vs Zambia on January 26.

Meanwhile, pay channel SuperSport have confirmed they will show all the Nations Cup games live.