A squad of 24 will represent South Africa in six sports at the Games, which will take place from July 19 to 23 in the capital of The Bahamas.

Michael Houlie, Jarryd Baxter, Jack Oliver, Luan Grobbelaar will compete in swimming competitions along with Rebecca Meder, Hanim Abrahams, Dune Coetzee, Mariella Venter.

Their eight-strong athletics team includes Luke Davids, Jayson Weber, Lindukuhle Gora, Adam Mayo, Caroline Mosime, Marli Viljoen, Keletso Senosi and Antoinette Van der Merwe.

Lukholo Jooste and Aviwe Mamfanya will hope to make an impact as South Africa’s beach volleyball pairing at the Games, while Amorie Gonsalves and Sinovuyo Mtintelwa will represent the nation in boxing.

The squad is completed by judokas Marli Meiring and Mosa Thetsane, as well as tennis players Siphosothando Montsi and Minette Van Vreden.

“Though we are sending a lean team we believe it is a strong team who have all met the competitive selection criteria and will do the nation proud,” said Tubby Reddy, SASCOC chief executive.

“Previously Team South Africa has performed exceptionally at these Games and we therefore hope that the same or even better results will be achieved.

“The Commonwealth Youth Games, remain an integral event for us as future stars and Olympians rise from events of such a nature.”

South Africa finished second on the medals table at the 2015 edition of the event in Apia, with the country having secured 35 medals in the Samoan capital.

The team will be led by Chef de Mission Patience Shikwambana.

“It’s a great honour to lead South Africa’s youth to the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in Bahamas,” said Shikwambana.

"The delegation leaves the shores of South Africa during a month where all South Africans and the world celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy.

“Mandela Day (July 18) asks us all to ‘take action, inspire change and make every day a Mandela day’, so to Team South Africa, go and have fun, play fair and inspire more youth to take action and get involved in sport to change their lives and become better persons in future through sport’.”

South Africa will have their holding camp on July 15, before travelling to The Bahamas the following day.

This year's Games will be the largest international sporting event ever staged in The Bahamas and the biggest edition of the Games with up to 1,300 athletes aged between 14 and 18 set to participate.

The Queen Elizabeth Sports Complex in Nassau will be the main venue hub.

This includes the world-class 15,000-capacity Thomas A Robinson stadium.