Impact of current sport and recreation policy in South Africa on the provision of sport and recreation opportunities for persons with disabilities in marginalised communities
Research has shown that participation in sport and recreation is beneficial in numerous ways. Some of these benefits include physical and health benefits; behavioural and social benefits; cognitive benefits and psychological benefits. However, barriers to physical activity participation for persons with disabilities exist. Sustainable sport and recreation interventions have the potential to address and eliminate various barriers to physical activity participation for persons with disabilities. Current service provision approaches for persons with disabilities in Tshwane focus on individual treatment of disabilities and excludes most disabled individuals. Expanding individual intervention to community intervention will ensure the inclusion in physical activity participation in marginalised communities such as Mamelodi. A great number of potential participants are excluded from interventions as marginalised communities are at risk of fragmented interventions. The social and environmental context in middle and higher socioeconomic communities allow for participation as opposed to lower socioeconomic communities. South African policies associated with sport and recreation participation for persons with disabilities do not allow for continuous participation in sport and recreation intervention programs as it is inadequate and is not applied in marginalised communities like Mamelodi. The overall aim of the study was to evaluate sport and recreation service delivery for persons with disabilities in the marginalised community of Mamelodi using a socio ecological approach as a theoretical lens. This study utilised a qualitative approach to ask the research question: How can a socio ecological approach to sport and recreation service delivery for persons with disabilities in the marginalised community of Mamelodi assist in providing a more comprehensive application of policy? Results of the study included the limitation of sport and recreation participation opportunities for persons with disabilities present in marginalised communities such as Mamelodi. Despite the described inclusion of persons with disabilities in policies such as the National Sport and Recreation Plan (2012), sport and recreation participation opportunities remain nonexistent. The conclusion of the study confirmed that policies related to sport and recreation participation for persons with disabilities in South Africa are not implemented on community level despite its existence. The study concludes by recommending that the lack of sport and recreation service delivery for persons with disabilities can, and should, be addressed through the use of a socio ecological approach.
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