South Africa will not be ready to broadcast the 2010 World Cup to the world without a massive update of its digital broadcasting transmission network, it was revealed yesterday.

Sentech, a state-owned operator of the country's broadcasting signal distribution network, warned that its antiquated, 30-year-old transmission infrastructure was in grave need of a revamp.

Sentech CEO Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane told members of Parliament's communications portfolio committee that there would be chaos if the transmission system broke down.

"We are not ready. It is a huge undertaking, .. We ought to start now on this but there is no structured plan," COO Gladwin Marumo was quoted as saying.

Marumo said South Africa would suffer a severe loss of reputation if it failed to deliver on its obligations to the international football federation, FIFA, which had requested high-definition television (HDTV) coverage.