ABSTRACT
South Africa has a well-documented colonial past, with much scholarly work focusing on the apartheid government, during which time the country faced political and sporting isolation. The National Sport and Recreation Plan provides implementation direction for the national sport policy. In 2004 the government's priority was to provide mass participation opportunities in activities such as aerobics, various ball games, athletics and indigenous games. Elite sport and mass participation blurred the less tangible educational outcomes associated with sport-for-all and non-competitive physical activities. Elite South African sport offers a window onto the social fabric of the broader society and shows complex internal and external influences and changes. Alongside the framework of Long Term Athlete Development, the Case for Sport underpins the rationale for mass participation and life-long physical activity. Creating a well-resourced sport environment with optimal alignment of all stakeholders to provide opportunities for participation at all levels is aimed at broadening the pool of talent for identification and specialisation.
