Zuma asks for Olympic winners

Pretoria - It is the SA Olympic and Paralympic athletes' time to take the country to greater heights when they represent South Africa on the global stage, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.

He was giving the team a final send-off at the presidential guest house in Pretoria on Thursday evening.

The Olympic Games take place from July 27 to August 12, and the Paralympic Games from August 29 to September 9.

"Team South Africa, now is your turn to take this nation to even greater heights," Zuma told the athletes.

"We have been to Beijing and now going to London and you must do better than in Beijing."

Zuma made it clear that he and the country had great expectations of the teams at the Games.

"In sport there must be a loser, there must be a winner, all I'm saying is we should be the latter," he said.

Zuma said the team should dedicate the Games to former President Nelson Mandela.

"Win for South Africa and for Africa, and perhaps as important as the others, win for Nelson Mandela, who is turning 94-years-old on July 18.

"He laid the foundation for a winning nation in 1994. We are a winning nation and I can tell you we are going to win," he said.