South African Airways (SA, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) must find a way to pay back Citibank ZAR1.8 billion rand (USD133 million), as the lender has said that it won't roll the debt over again. Reuters reports that the loan is due to expire at the end of September.

"Citi did indicate to us that they will not be in a position to roll further and we engaged them. It's an ongoing consultation," said South African Treasury Director General Dondo Mogajane.

Back in June, the troubled national airline entered into discussions with all of its lenders to renegotiate its loans, with a total of with ZAR9 billion (USD664 million) payable at the time. By July, Standard Chartered Bank had called in its debt, and the government drew down ZAR2.2 billion (USD162 million) from the National Revenue Fund (NRF) to allow the airline to pay off the loan.

Mogajane stressed that conversations were ongoing, and that payments may not even need to be made.

"We are engaging the lenders, so as much as ZAR6.9 billion (USD508 million) is due on paper, it might just be that we don't have to pay the 6.9 billion, consultations continue," Reuters reports Mogajane as saying.