Abstract
Decades of the application of the policies of separate development in South Africa have left the majority of people in a state of poverty. One of the solutions to address poverty is the provision of basic needs, which allows poor people to escape the grip of poverty and to participate fully in community life. The lack of basic needs, however, prevents poor people from living normal lives. For most poor communities, participation in sport is deemed a low priority activity and essential basic needs take priority. The aim of the research was to investigate the influence of the provision of basic needs on sport participation in poor communities.The research methodology included a literature review of theoretical aspects of basic needs and participation in sport, as well as a quantitative household survey in a poor township, namely Sicelo. Results of the study suggest that poor communities have low participation levels in sport at less than 25 percent of households. The research found that the lack of basic needs have a negative impact on participation in sport, and the provision of basic needs can enhance the levels of participation. The provision of basic needs such as decent housing, sufficient food and access to basic essential services such as water allows not only for improved quality of life, but also increased participation in sport. Recommendations based on the results of the study are made to influence policy makers in policy formulation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2243-2251 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 23 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Nov 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Basic needs
- Participation
- Poverty
- Sicelo township
- Sports
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Arts and Humanities
- General Social Sciences
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance (all)