The Capricorn District Municipality takes pleasure and pride to congratulate Mokgadi Caster Semenya, of Masehlong, Moletjie in Capricorn district for winning the 800m world title at the World Athletics Championship in Germany, Berlin on Wednesday night.
We watched with awe the taste for speed and exuberance that she displayed to the world. Together with the whole world, we were impressed at the way she outshined her fellow athletes. Not only has our own 18-year-old Caster made her family proud, but has given the entire Limpopo Province and the country a boost for athletics. Her determination to succeed in becoming a world-renowned athlete has made her a role model for young athletes. She is an indomitable example of our sporting prowess and the progress we have made as Capricorn District Municipality, Limpopo and South Africa. She has epitomized our district as the calabash of talent and the source of honor.
We remain contended that our heroine has continued to rise beyond debates and excoriations to foreground the country’s pride. Indeed, with her triumph, the entire district is rubbing hands in glee in the flurry of ecstasy as she makes our district the true ‘Home of Excellence and Opportunities for a better life’. We honor you our home girl. You go Champ!
Cllr Motalane Monakedi - Executive Mayor
Capricorn District Municipality
On behalf of the Provincial Government, the people of Limpopo and my own behalf I congratulate and welcome the victory of Mokgadi Caster Semenya. She continues to make us proud as she has put not only Limpopo but South Africa and Africa on the International Map. As an icon in the international sporting arena she has distinguished herself as a source of inspiration not only to ourselves but to the younger generation of aspirant sport personality. We are however saddened and concerned by the calls that question her gender now that she has won this international competition. We condemn this course in all their ramified forms as they serve to undermine the capacity, competence and skills of the people of Limpopo and South Africa as equal participants in the international sporting fraternity. Throughout her life she has participated in sport without her gender been questioned and this was the case with many others who have made similar achievement as her. We firmly believe that whatever tests they subject her to will prove them wrong and history will judge them harshly. We cannot help but wonder why should this innocent soul be subjected to such hardships. As Limpopo government we support her and call on the people of Limpopo to rally behind her as she continues to represent and make us proud. We call on all the young people to emulate the good examples of this sport personality Limpopo has ever produced. Cassel Mathale Premier: LimpopoProvince
Caster Semenya, as her father, Mr Jacob Semenya said in media is doing not only the Semenya family proud on international athletics’ arena. The 18 years old is doing it for all citizens of Limpopo and the country as a whole. In fact she is doing it for the whole continent. She is also doing it for all mothers in this month known as women’s month.
This is the month we in South Africa expect women to get better treatment. A month on which we all revise and revive programmes focusing on women empowerment. This is the month on which we monitor our policies’ effectiveness in empowering all women. This is the month on which we emphasize respect and courtesy to women and strengthen the view that this is to be practiced throughout the year.
I never though there will be time for us to go around questioning if a person at the age of 18 years is a female or a male. In fact, I believe at the age of 18 a person’s gender or sex class has been confirmed many times. This person comes from the family. He or she grew up in a society where surely gender aspects have been proven. It is at this time where even a person’s passion to life activities including sporting has been confirmed. No one really can start doubting Semenya’s sex as they can go and confirm it from her family, her primary school, her society and from her peers. All these people know she is a girl. They know she also loved soccer as one of her sporting habits. Off course she has played with girls and boys of Moletjie where they also use to bring both cows and goats home. They know she has been in physical sport including running from early age.
Surely Semenya did not start running as a woman the day she broke Zola Budd’s South Africa’s record in 800M.She did not run for the first time when she improved world record to 1:56,72 to win the African Junior title in Mauritius a month ago. Her father, seemingly the only defender has repeatedly say people must not cause problems to “my little girl”. He said he can say this million times. This will be like a scratched CD that will be singing part of one song…”She is my little girl, I raised her and I have no doubt of her gender”
However, there is an indication that even if he sings this song, those who decide to doubt her gender will continue use their power to investigate if she is a girl or a boy. Both media and those in authority to run the world athletics will use their powers to doubt the little girl as she is said to be too muscular for a girl. We read in media that she has been exposed to physical investigation- I am not sure if this means her taking off clothes for them to have a look just like it used to happen when they doubt if you have been circumcised at initiation schools. Maybe she has been exposed to the activity like the one we here off when they do virginity test in some parts of the country.
As if this is not enough, the young lady is said to have been exposed also to genital test to determine the legitimacy of her sex. To me as “layman” in testing people’s genitals it may mean that she may be a girl but still be illegitimate one. What a pain she might be feeling? It is said that she may be in danger of not competing in World Athletic Championship in Berlin. Instead of defending her strongly, even Athletics South Africa (ASA) sounds like kids who are not important stakeholders in world athletics. They sound like also praying that she must not be stopped from running because of the doubt on her sex. They are not strongly standing out and question the World Athletics the rational behind this entire test.
Not even the groups that defended the lady accusing president Jacob Zuma for raping her from the ANCYL president utterance are defending this innocent kid. To me this is more of an issue to defend. However, they are quite or their input is so subtle as if there is nothing happening to this victim.
The youth formations of this country are also taking too long to fight for this young girl. This is if they are preparing to.
To me the sin the young lady from Moletjie did is to be black, African, breaking the record set by a white lady and to be a threat to take the world by the storm in the coming years in 800M. She is still just 18 years and world sport should expect her to surprise the world maybe till the age of 36 years or more. Like her father who will say it a million times that she is a girl, I am prepared to say that this is racially motivated attack a million times. I will also say it a million times that this little girl need more than just her father to defend her. We all have to go against this practice. Caster cannot be a boy just because she is winning the races. Go and tell the world that they still have to expect more record breaking from this product of the province and the country. My last words to Caster, ASA and all who are involved in building her career is that little the World Athletics know that their actions will give all of you more and more power to excel in what you are doing. Tell the little girl Caster that we all love her. I wish those who are troubling you can be sued and pay for human character assassination and for demoralizing you at the top of your sporting career.
EXECUTIVE MAYOR CONGRATULATES CASTER SEMENYA FOR HER WORLD TITLE
We watched with awe the taste for speed and exuberance that she displayed to the world. Together with the whole world, we were impressed at the way she outshined her fellow athletes. Not only has our own 18-year-old Caster made her family proud, but has given the entire Limpopo Province and the country a boost for athletics. Her determination to succeed in becoming a world-renowned athlete has made her a role model for young athletes. She is an indomitable example of our sporting prowess and the progress we have made as Capricorn District Municipality, Limpopo and South Africa. She has epitomized our district as the calabash of talent and the source of honor.
We remain contended that our heroine has continued to rise beyond debates and excoriations to foreground the country’s pride. Indeed, with her triumph, the entire district is rubbing hands in glee in the flurry of ecstasy as she makes our district the true ‘Home of Excellence and Opportunities for a better life’. We honor you our home girl. You go Champ!
Cllr Motalane Monakedi - Executive Mayor
Capricorn District Municipality
LIMPOPO CONGRATULATES MOKGADI CASTER SEMENYA
On behalf of the Provincial Government, the people ofLimpopo and my own behalf I congratulate and welcome the victory of Mokgadi Caster Semenya. She continues to make us proud as she has put not only Limpopo but South Africa and Africa on the International Map.
South Africa
Limpopo to rally behind her as she continues to represent and make us proud.
Limpopo has ever produced.
Cassel MathaleLimpopo Province
As an icon in the international sporting arena she has distinguished herself as a source of inspiration not only to ourselves but to the younger generation of aspirant sport personality. We are however saddened and concerned by the calls that question her gender now that she has won this international competition. We condemn this course in all their ramified forms as they serve to undermine the capacity, competence and skills of the people of Limpopo and
Throughout her life she has participated in sport without her gender been questioned and this was the case with many others who have made similar achievement as her. We firmly believe that whatever tests they subject her to will prove them wrong and history will judge them harshly. We cannot help but wonder why should this innocent soul be subjected to such hardships.
As Limpopo government we support her and call on the people of
We call on all the young people to emulate the good examples of this sport personality
Premier:
Nothing but reality
Caster Semenya, as her father, Mr Jacob Semenya said in media is doing not only the Semenya family proud on international athletics’ arena. The 18 years old is doing it for all citizens ofLimpopo and the country as a whole. In fact she is doing it for the whole continent. She is also doing it for all mothers in this month known as women’s month.
This is the month we inSouth Africa
I never though there will be time for us to go around questioning if a person at the age of 18 years is a female or a male. In fact, I believe at the age of 18 a person’s gender or sex class has been confirmed many times. This person comes from the family. He or she grew up in a society where surely gender aspects have been proven. It is at this time where even a person’s passion to life activities including sporting has been confirmed. No one really can start doubting Semenya’s sex as they can go and confirm it from her family, her primary school, her society and from her peers. All these people know she is a girl. They know she also loved soccer as one of her sporting habits. Off course she has played with girls and boys of Moletjie where they also use to bring both cows and goats home. They know she has been in physical sport including running from early age.
Surely Semenya did not start running as a woman the day she broke Zola Budd’sSouth Africa Mauritius
However, there is an indication that even if he sings this song, those who decide to doubt her gender will continue use their power to investigate if she is a girl or a boy. Both media and those in authority to run the world athletics will use their powers to doubt the little girl as she is said to be too muscular for a girl. We read in media that she has been exposed to physical investigation- I am not sure if this means her taking off clothes for them to have a look just like it used to happen when they doubt if you have been circumcised at initiation schools. Maybe she has been exposed to the activity like the one we here off when they do virginity test in some parts of the country.
As if this is not enough, the young lady is said to have been exposed also to genital test to determine the legitimacy of her sex. To me as “layman” in testing people’s genitals it may mean that she may be a girl but still be illegitimate one. What a pain she might be feeling? It is said that she may be in danger of not competing in World Athletic Championship inBerlin
Not even the groups that defended the lady accusing president Jacob Zuma for raping her from the ANCYL president utterance are defending this innocent kid. To me this is more of an issue to defend. However, they are quite or their input is so subtle as if there is nothing happening to this victim.
The youth formations of this country are also taking too long to fight for this young girl. This is if they are preparing to.
To me the sin the young lady from Moletjie did is to be black, African, breaking the record set by a white lady and to be a threat to take the world by the storm in the coming years in 800M. She is still just 18 years and world sport should expect her to surprise the world maybe till the age of 36 years or more. Like her father who will say it a million times that she is a girl, I am prepared to say that this is racially motivated attack a million times. I will also say it a million times that this little girl need more than just her father to defend her. We all have to go against this practice. Caster cannot be a boy just because she is winning the races. Go and tell the world that they still have to expect more record breaking from this product of the province and the country. My last words to Caster, ASA and all who are involved in building her career is that little the World Athletics know that their actions will give all of you more and more power to excel in what you are doing. Tell the little girl Caster that we all love her. I wish those who are troubling you can be sued and pay for human character assassination and for demoralizing you at the top of your sporting career.
END
Opinion by Naledzani Rasila