The China-based company has signed a $4-million sponsorship deal with the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) that will last until 2016.

Sascoc CEO Tubby Reddy said at the kit launch in Johannesburg Wednesday night they had approached Erke (pronounced like turkey without the initial T) after being turned down by local brands.

The kit was paraded publicly by Games hopefuls, including Oscar Pistorius, Khotso Mokoena, Natalie du Toit, Cameron van der Burgh, Chad Ho and Kathryn Meaklim.

The official mascot for SA, voted for by the public, will be Chukuru, a rhinoceros.

The apparel presented last night featured everything from green-and-gold tracksuits and white rain suits to casual wear and competition kit for all the different sporting codes.

Perhaps the highlight was provided by javelin thrower Sunette Viljoen when she turned her umbrella –  presumably for the miserable English weather – inside out. She took the glitch in her stride, laughing it off as she glided on the catwalk holding her transformed brolly that appropriately looked more like a javelin.

Sascoc president Gideon Sam has said there is still time for the kit to be fine-tuned to fit the needs of the athletes.

At past Games, there have been cases of athletes searching through a bin trying to find kit to wear just the day before competing.