The Proteas' tour of India in March was cut short due to the proliferation of COVID-19 and all forms of cricket in South Africa were cancelled for 60 days on March 16.
Australia's visit to face the women's team was called off, while trips for the men to Sri Lanka in June and the West Indies in July could be in jeopardy if the situation has not improved six weeks prior to the start of those respective tours.
However, CSA chief executive Jacques Faul does not anticipate the salaries of players to be impacted in the short term, though the pot for future payments may have to be reduced.
"For now we've budgeted for the amount. It's a centralised system so both the Proteas and the franchise players have been budgeted for and we have enough to see through the next season," said Faul during a conference call.
"The players will lose out on match fees and win bonuses. If these tours are rescheduled they'll get the money. In the long term even if we cover this season we have to look at what it's going to be post this season and the financial impact of that and how much will be available to contract players.
"We've got to crunch the numbers first and experience the total effect of COVID-19, but it is a possibility the players will be receiving less of a player payment pool.
"I cannot see anyone for now getting less money than they're contracted for, but in future the allocation going to players I can see that being less."
Graeme Smith signed a three-month contract as director of cricket in December and Faul stated clarity on the former captain's tenure will be provided next week.
"We're in final negotiations with Graeme there will be an announcement next week," he said.
"We're at an advanced stage of the negotiations and hopefully we can make an announcement next week."
The event, which is scheduled to take place in Australia between October 18 and November 15 this year, remains in doubt due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Smith says the Proteas are preparing for all eventualities.
"If it does get postponed, we're looking at February or March next year," he told reporters on Thursday.
"We are consistently looking at strategies for tours, what the FTP [Future Tours Programme] looks like, what our focus is going to be over the next period of time.
"We'll have to assess players on form, as was always going to be the case. When that event comes around, we will look at what the best squad is that we could possibly send to give us an opportunity to win the trophy.
"I think the key at the moment, across the board from players to coaches and operational staff, is to try and make sure that we're ready for when the opportunity arises to play cricket again and then we'll have to assess players quickly.
"The hope was that we would have 14 T20 games before the World Cup in October and that's not going to happen anymore. There is a very good chance it's going to be shifted into the beginning of next year, so we'll have to consistently assess.
"There are so many things up in the air, so the key is just to be ready."
CSA CEO Jacques Faul believes delaying the tournament would not necessarily have a huge financial impact.
"The T20 World Cups gets sold and the money is essentially distributed to the members," he said.
"I don't think a delay in the tournament would lead to a cut of that funding. As long as it takes place within the same financial year, then it should be fine.
"If it doesn't take place or if it is delayed for a longer period, then it would have an impact."
The parties have been locked in negotiations for the past several months, with several obstacles to overcome. The latest it is believed was a venue for the tour, which was reportedly originally set for Trinidad and Tobago.
A recent spike of COVID-19 cases has, however, forced an alteration to those plans. The current plan will see the teams play two Tests at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia and the T20s taking place at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada. The series will take place between June 10 and July 3.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) director, Graeme Smith, expressed delight to be heading back to the Caribbean, particularly in light of the difficult and uncertain times caused by the pandemic. He reserved a special word of thanks for the countries that stepped in to host the series on relatively short notice.
“We are extremely pleased to have the men’s team’s tour to the West Indies officially confirmed. Covid-19 has played havoc with the ICC Future Tours Programme and we are thankful to Cricket West Indies and the governments of St Lucia and Grenada for ensuring that the tour goes ahead as planned‚” Smith said.
“The hosting nations‚ in particular‚ came to the party at very short notice and Cricket South Africa would like to extend its immense gratitude to them for their enthusiasm and willingness to host us."
The former Proteas captain was given the role for three months back in December.
It had been expected CSA would look to extend his time in the job and he has now been handed an initial two-year contract.
"Graeme has made a huge impact with his energy, expertise, hard work ethic and characteristic determination and passion he has brought to the position during the six months he has served in an acting capacity," said CSA acting chief executive Dr. Jacques Faul.
"Although there is certainly a great deal of work to be done, as reflected by the performances of our various national teams, he has certainly put our cricket on an upward trajectory that provides light at the end of the tunnel.
"He has bought into all the overall pillars of our strategy and that includes the important one of transformation.
"As far as the technical and support teams he has put together are concerned, the black generic component amounted to more than 70 per cent across the board and the Black African component varied between 30 and 60 per cent for the Standard Bank Proteas for the home international season, for the Momentum Proteas for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup and for the ICC under-19 World Cup, which we were privileged and proud to host.
"He also made a number of strategic temporary appointments with Linda Zondi appointed interim independent national selector, Ashwell Prince taking charge of South Africa A and Malibongwe Maketa joining the under-19 squad as a coaching consultant."
Smith added: "My appointment brings a degree of permanency to my position which makes planning the road ahead a lot easier.
"As Dr. Faul has said, there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, not just at international level but throughout our pipeline development pathways as well but I am determined to get South African cricket back to where it belongs as one of the world leaders at international level."
Smith scored 9,265 Test runs and 6,989 in ODI cricket in a decorated career as an opening batsman for his country.
South Africa's youngest skipper, he is the most successful captain in Test history, having led the Proteas to 53 wins in the longest format.
However, they are winless in their last three series, with home defeats to Sri Lanka and England sandwiched by a whitewash in India. They also failed to progress beyond the group stage of last year's World Cup.
Smith was accused of racial bias against black leadership at Cricket South Africa (CSA), discrimination against Proteas wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile and unfair racial treatment surrounding the appointment of Mark Boucher over Enoch Nkwe in 2019.
The former Proteas skipper was under review by Dumisa Ntsebeza SC after CSA's Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) process, with Ntsebeza unable to conclude on "definite findings" in December 2021.
The initial report criticised Smith and former captain AB de Villiers for selection decisions, which it said were prejudicial towards black players, allegations the pair both denied.
That led to further formal processes, with two independent arbitrators Ngwako Maenetje SC and Michael Bishop reviewing the case, before Smith was cleared of the allegations of racism.
Smith, who held the CSA director role between 2019 and 2022 before his contract ended in March this year, has also been reimbursed his costs by CSA on the advice of the arbitration.
Lawson Naidoo, chairman of the CSA Board, said after the decision: "The manner in which these issues have been dealt with and resolved by the arbitration proceedings confirms CSA's commitment to deal with the SJN issues in a manner that treats them with utmost seriousness but also ensures fairness, due process and finality.
"Now that finality on these processes has been reached, it is appropriate to recognise the extraordinary contribution that Graeme has made to South African cricket, first as the longest-serving Test captain in cricket history and then as director of cricket from 2019 to 2022.
"His role as director has been critical in rebuilding the Proteas men's team in particular and has laid a solid foundation for his successor.
"We fully appreciate that after his time as director, Graeme wants new challenges in the commercial and cricket worlds.
"He has a long career ahead of him and we very much hope that he will still work in the cricket world in appropriate capacities going forward."
CSA apologised for the unwarranted public disclosures of Smith's personal information, including his remuneration, during the SJN process, as they thanked the 41-year-old for his efforts in charge.
Pholetsi Moseki, who is CSA's chief executive, added: "On behalf of the executives, staff and players at CSA, I would like to thank Graeme for all that he did as the director of cricket.
"He put up his hand at a particularly tumultuous period for CSA and he has often gone beyond his contracted duties to assist CSA during his term."
Former captain Smith, 39, was appointed Cricket South Africa's (CSA) director of cricket on a permanent basis last month having initially filled the role on an interim basis.
He has already brought some familiar faces on board, with former international colleague Mark Boucher named head coach ahead of the home Test series against England and Jacques Kallis, another South Africa great, joining as a batting consultant.
Last November Smith actually withdrew from consideration for the role he later took due to a lack of "confidence" in the CSA hierarchy, though a restructuring changed his feelings, and ex-Proteas head coach Ford believes he will be a success, provided there is no meddling at boardroom level.
"I think that what he's shown as a player and leader over the years shows he's ideal for this job," Ford, now head coach of Ireland, told Stats Perform.
"He's incredibly driven, he wants to achieve, he's proud. He's been criticised maybe a little bit about some of the appointments he's made. But, from what I know of him, he's only making those appointments because he knows those are the guys that will get it done. It's his reputation at stake at the end of the day.
"You've got a high-quality guy, he knows cricket, he's got an amazing presence about him. Wherever he wants to impact on South Africa cricket, whether it be the women's game, the men's game, dressing rooms or whatever, he will be able to have an impact.
"The bloke is a hell of a cricket thinker as well. I've got no doubt they've got the right chap.
"As long as the rest of the support around him – the upward management – give him the freedom to make decisions, they're in a good space."
Ford was in charge of South Africa when Smith made his debut in 2001 as a 21-year-old against Australia, making 68 in his second innings against a vaunted bowling attack that featured Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Brett Lee.
The batsman went on to captain South Africa in 109 Tests, which remains an international cricket record.
"If I think back to his debut, [he was] a very young lad, 21 years of age, and he wasn't actually going to play and then Daryll Cullinan pulled out and Graeme sought as much information from the senior players and players around him as possible," Ford recalled.
"We were playing Australia, the mean machine at the time, and he made 60-odd. He took a lot of abuse and for a young lad like that to handle that situation was absolutely amazing.
"He went from strength to strength, he just got better after that. He showed great qualities early on."
The Proteas were due to travel to Sri Lanka in June for three ODIs and a trio of Twenty20 fixtures against their hosts, only to cancel due to the coronavirus pandemic.
For the same reason they called off a planned trip to the Caribbean set for July and August, when they were due to play two Tests and five T20 matches.
While there was hope of facing West Indies in September instead, director of cricket Smith admits such a scenario is impossible for Cricket South Africa (CSA) due to the rearranged Indian Premier League season.
Several of the country's leading names are contracted to franchises for the T20 tournament, which seems set to be staged in the United Arab Emirates this year.
"The West Indies tour has been postponed indefinitely," Smith told the media on Saturday.
"We are struggling to find the time with the Indian Premier League, when our players are likely to be needed from the beginning of September. Sri Lanka also [postponed].
"I expect that once things get up and running, our team, on the men's side, I would say from November onwards, if all goes well, it will be a really busy period for South African cricket, probably playing in times that we haven't played before and trying to cram in a lot of the missed tours."
As for his own situation with CSA, Smith reaffirmed his commitment to the role amid recent questions raised over his appointment, as well as the coaching staff he put in place.
Mark Boucher was named as head coach ahead of the home series with England, while fellow former international team-mates Jacques Kallis and Paul Harris were introduced to work as batting and spin-bowling consultants respectively.
"If you look at some of the things which are being said around appointments, my appointment and the appointment of my staff, I think some of those things are extremely unfair," Smith said.
"It was good to see CSA president (Chris Nenzani) put that straight with his most recent comments. But I have to come back to my value system and why I got involved in this job.
"Cricket South Africa courted me for a while, I went through the same interview process as everybody else in getting the job.
"I got involved because I have got cricket at heart and to be part of the solution. I want to help create a strong Cricket South Africa."
After initially taking over on an interim basis late last year, Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed in April the former captain will be remaining in the role for a two-year period.
The 39-year-old - who scored 9,265 Test runs and a further 6,989 in ODI cricket - appointed Mark Boucher as head coach ahead of the home Test series against England, while another ex-international in Jacques Kallis joined as a batting consultant.
Nkwe is part of the staff as an assistant coach and feels Smith has already made a difference in the job, aided by his standing within the game.
"From a cricketing perspective, to have someone of his stature, you can almost see the confidence in general from a cricketing space, especially from the team," he told Stats Perform.
"He is an ex-player and an ex-captain who has a very good cricketing brain.
"It all happened very quickly in a short period of time. He was only initially in the position for three months and there was so much he needed to do. Understanding of systems, then at the same time try and help the Proteas and give as much support as possible to try to win and build the confidence of the public, so he had quite a lot on his plate I must say.
"Looking at the circumstances, I think he's done well. He's well aware of the circumstances and there is still a lot he needs to put in place from a system point of view.
"There's no doubt that will happen in the next couple of months and years, to ensure the foundation is as strong as it's ever been."
South Africa have struggled in all forms of the game, including failing to progress beyond the group stage of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, but Nkwe is confident Smith can help bring some much-needed stability, both on and off the field.
He added: "The fact that now we know we are dealing with someone for the next two years at least, we are able to strategically plan certain things and he will be accountable for that. Also, it will give us confidence in us being able to execute our plans properly.
"There are just so many things around his full-time appointment that, as a team, we know where we are going, what we need to do, and I look forward to not only the next two, but the next three years, because I signed until the 2023 World Cup.
"Even just in our meetings, his energy is felt and he's someone who has always has that presence. That's something that is very, very exciting and something we needed in South African cricket."
Cricket South Africa on Tuesday announced Quinton de Kock had replaced Du Plessis as ODI captain ahead of the series against the world champions.
Du Plessis stated the fourth Test against England at the Wanderers, which starts on Friday, could be his last appearance in the longest format on home soil, revealing he may quit after facing West Indies in July and August.
The batsman had earlier outlined his desire to remain Proteas captain until the T20 World Cup in Australia in October, and Smith wants some clarity over Du Plessis' plans.
Interim South Africa director of cricket Smith said of the decision to appoint De Kock as ODI captain: "We see Faf playing a role as a player but from a leadership perspective, we felt the need to move on.
"Faf doesn't see himself being around in 2023. Leadership has been an issue of late in South African cricket and we have made the decision to give Quinny an opportunity.
"We feel tactically he is good, there are areas of his leadership that we all know we need to grow and develop but he is the right guy at this stage to take the one-day side forward."
The former Proteas skipper added: "With the World Cup around the corner, we need to go forward.
"At the moment Faf is in that position but I need to sit with him post this Test series. He has got a bit of time because he is being rested from the one-day series, so we will have some time to have a robust discussion on his future.
"He is the South African Test captain. The next Test match we play after this series will be in the Caribbean - there is an extensive amount of time. I need to understand how he sees his future in the game."
A three-Test series was scheduled to take place in March, but Cricket Australia (CA) announced on Tuesday that those plans had been shelved due to the public health situation in South Africa amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The country was dealing with over 10,000 positive COVID-19 cases a day at the start of January and while that number has since dropped considerably, there is also a new variant of the virus.
However, having done all possible to appease safety concerns and establish protocols so the tour could take place as planned, CSA director of cricket Smith revealed the frustration at the late cancellation.
"We are extremely disappointed by the decision of CA," former Proteas captain Smith said. "CSA has been working tirelessly in recent weeks to ensure that we meet every single expectation of CA.
"This was set to be the longest tour in a BSE (bio-secure environment) comprising a three-match Test series that was scheduled to begin with Australia's arrival later in the month. So to be informed about the CA decision at the eleventh hour is frustrating."
Dr Shuaib Manjra, chief medical officer for CSA, explained how the organisation had done everything possible during the planning stage, including proposing protocols to their Australian counterparts that were "unprecedented".
The cancellation has ramifications for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship, too. New Zealand are now certain to be playing in the final later this year, where they will go up against either England, India or Australia.
Pholetsi Moseki, acting CEO for CSA, said: "It is indeed sad that after all the engagements and effort made to ensure a secure visit by our Australian counterparts, the tour has been derailed.
"CSA has incurred significant costs related to the planning stages and the cancellation of the tour represents a serious financial loss."
South Africa are currently on tour in Pakistan, with the second of two Tests set to start on Thursday in Rawalpindi.
They will also play a three-match Twenty20 series against their hosts - with all the white-ball fixtures to be staged in Lahore - before returning home in the middle of February.
