Zambia calls off match with South Africa because of xenophobic violence
By Daniel Gallan, for CNN
Updated at 1341 GMT (2141 HKT) September 4, 2019
A South African cheers prior to the start of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations match between Egypt and Bafana Bafana earlier this year.
(CNN) — The ugliness of the real world has infiltrated the beautiful game as a football match between Zambia and South Africa was canceled because of a spate of xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The two former African champions were set to meet in the National Heroes Stadium in the Zambian capital of Lusaka Saturday, but the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has called off the match.
The decision comes after a series of violent clashes between South Africans and foreign nationals which has resulted in the reported deaths of five people, with 189 people arrested as foreign-owned shops and businesses were ransacked in broad daylight