South Africa won only one medal in the Chinese capital, Khotso Mokoena finishing second in the long jump.

 

Sam, who took over as the president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) after Beijing, has made it clear that he was embarrassed by the team's performance and expects better in London.

 

He said: "We are not a banana republic.

 

"We are a serious sporting nation and we aim to prove that.

 

"If we fail then it would just be my head that rolls.

 

"I promise you the whole lot will come with me."

 

In his first duty as president last month Sam announced an ambitious goal of winning a minimum of 12 medals at the 2012 Games and pledged all his organisation's resources to drive the plan, including that R400 million (£27.5 million) Lottery grant would be used as preparations for London 2012.
 

He said: "We will no long cheer mediocrity.

 

"Plans will be put in place to go the length and breadth of South Africa to find our best athletes for the Games.

 

"SASCOC is serious about this and in turn we expect to be taken seriously."