Legislating ‘‘government interference’’ in sport: overview of the National Sport and Recreation amendment Act 18 of 2007

Abstract

Sport is seen as a national asset and as such belongs to the people of South Africa. Sport has been successfully used as a vehicle to bring the different race groups together into a united South Africa. The first democratic elections were in 1994, but the process of the unification of the different sporting codes in South Africa began as early as 1991 with some codes actually achieving unification in that year. Sport is regarded as a national treasure and for many citizens it has become a way of life. The gains made through sport in bringing the people of the country together from a divided past cannot be forgotten, and it is for this reason that governance of sport in our country must be protected. This article examines the background and current understanding of the topic.