ABSTRACT
The chapter begins with a brief overview of policies and programmes that relate to physical activity (and sport) that have been promulgated in South Africa over the past two decades. This is followed by examples of current physical activity-related policies in South Africa. Perhaps what is most notable about these strategies, plans and policies, is the degree of alignment, the articulation of the need for inter-sectorial cooperation and the emphasis on social and environmental justice, access and redress. The key challenges for the promotion of physical activity in South Africa are discussed, as they relate to competing priorities of poverty alleviation and unemployment; the provision of housing and basic services, crime and personal violence; education; reducing the burden of HIV and TB, as well as under-nutrition in children. A variety of major physical activity initiatives are presented, and implications for future policy and practice are discussed.
