The announcement was made by Gideon Sam, the new president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, who has launched a new campaign, "The Road to London".

 

He is hoping that the money will help professionalise South Africa's build-up to the Olympics.

Sam said: "There has to be structure.

 

"There has to be the right talent identification and there has to be a plan about the next four years that gives the impetus to continued planning for 2016.

 

"There also has to be unemotional identification of sporting codes that have delivered medals or alternatively have the athletes with the potential to deliver on any emotional and financial investment."

 

The announcement is the culmination of Sam spending the past six weeks talking to key stakeholders about how to improve South Africa's performances for London 2012.

 

South Africa won only one medal at last year's Olympics in Beijing, Khotso Mokoena finishing second in the long jump.

 

Sam said: "It has been a hectic and rewarding last six weeks and from what I have experienced we certainly have the infrastructure and the individuals capable of improving on the one silver medal achieved in Beijing.

 

"But talk is cheap and we have to utilise everything at our disposal in the next four years to turn the talk into medals and to get back our credibility as an Olympic sporting nation.

"Money has been made available and we will continue to seek the investment of Corporate South Africa for what is the biggest sporting stage of them all, but to do this there has to be a blueprint of where the money is going and what the end goal is."

 

Sam said the R400-million (£27.5 million) Lottery grant was based on a R100-million (£6.8 million) a year payment.

 

The money will be distributed among the sports who offer South Africa the most realistic chance of winning medals.

 

Sam said: "Our focus has to be on those Olympic sports that can produce medals.

"We cannot continue to select individuals or teams with no realistic chance of a medal, as has happened in the past.

 

"Supporters want winners and that is what we have to produce in the next four years.

"I want to stress the necessity for coordination in the field of finance and human resource.

 

"Let us use the resources optimally within the country.

 

"We want the best brains here and abroad to help us create the environment for our athletes to be prepared properly."

 

Sam is hoping that preparations for London 2012 will receive a big boost when South Africa hosts the 2010 World Cup, the first time the tournament has been staged in Africa.

 

He said: "The onus is on us to ensure enthusiasm over the next four years, just as we see in our cricket, rugby and soccer World Cup campaigns.

"This is about providing the best for our best and only the best will come into reckoning for 'Operation Excellence'.

 

"Accountability, passion and discipline will be non-negotiable.

 

"There will be no free rides to the Olympics, period.

 

"My position is clear, in that there will be no handouts and everyone who gets selected will have earned the right to be there."

The initial focus sports identified are athletics, swimming, wrestling, judo, cycling, canoeing, shooting, weightlifting, boxing and rowing.

 

Since returning to the Olympics in 1992 after a 32-year absence of the country's apartheid regime, South Africa has won 19 medals,  four of which have been gold.

Sam said: "Historically, our medals have come from here, but 19 medals in five Olympics is not impressive and that is what has to change.

 

"But it can't be achieved if there is no viable sports structure, platform to grow, athlete identification and financial resource."