Provision of public leisure services in the Soweto area, City of Johannesburg, 2002-2005

M.Phil.This study was conducted against the theoretical background that local government has the responsibility to provide public leisure services to the communities. Leisure provides an ideal medium for the transmission of historical, social, and cultural values that promote desired norms, customs and social orientations, as such, it is vital to the community. For disadvantaged communities to experience the benefits of leisure, government has a major role to play in the provision of resources. The aim of the study was to describe and analyse the provision of local government sport and recreation services in the City of Johannesburg, Soweto area and to present alternative forms of public leisure service delivery to aid in ensuring that limited resources are distributed to all. In order to achieve the aim of the study, it was necessary to: 1. Present responsibilities of local government with regard to the provision of sport and recreation in local government. 2. Evaluate whether resources are available for the provision of public leisure services. 3. Analyse the feasibility and implications of the user fee charge policy in public leisure services. 4. Present alternative forms of public leisure service delivery to the City of Johannesburg. Theoretical background was dealt with in Chapter two. The chapter started by briefly explaining objectives that direct services in countries like Australia, Britain, Canada and Brazil. Information obtained assisted in explaining that governments can legitimise their policies in very different ways and that service delivery is driven by what the country intends to achieve. Governance structure of sport and recreation in South Africa was discussed. Focus was mainly on local government and its mandatory responsibility towards public leisure service delivery. The importance of leisure provisions in fulfilling human needs was illustrated. Literature also indicated that personnel, facilities, money, equipment tend to influence each other to produce leisure services to the community. At the same time, user fee charge policy and marketing of services can impact on service delivery. Through the discussion it was noted that resources are limited. In view of that, it became vital to present alternative forms of public leisure service delivery. Literature presented also assisted in constructing an empirical research based on literature provided. The instruments used to collect data were two questionnaires. One questionnaire was for facility managers and the other was for regional managers/ area managers/ operational managers. A pilot study was conducted to test the reliability and relevancy of the questionnaires which were then adapted accordingly. The main survey comprised forty respondents. Questionnaires were sent to all sixty two sport and recreation facilities owned by The City of Johannesburg in Soweto for facility managers to fill and only forty were returned. Five questionnaires were sent to regional managers/ area managers/ operational managers and were returned