POLITICS

ANCYL delirious over Caster Semenya's Olympic silver medal

League says this is the very first such medal won by a black South African woman

Well done Mokgadi! We never doubted you

Statement of the African National Congress Youth League on yet another victory by Caster Mokgadi Semenya

The African National Congress Youth League is delirious with happiness over the silver medal won by our heroine, Caster Mokgadi Semenya, a flower of the revolution. Caster, a 21 year old woman from South Africa, is the very first South African black woman to win an Olympic Silver Medal since this country first participated in the Olympic Games in 1904.

Even when it was not fashionable to support her, the African National Congress Youth League had always believed in Mokgadi Semenya. We are immensely proud of Caster and we know she deserves the medal not only because of her tenacious and unbreakable spirit but because of the trials and triumphs she has faced and emerged victorious over. Caster continues, like we said in 2009, to be "role model and inspiration to thousands of young athletes in South Africa, and her victory will go a long way to inspire as many athletes as possible". Halala Ntombazana!

We further congratulate all athletes who have carried our flag high under the leadership of Minister Fikile Mbalula. While there is room to achieve much more in future, we salute Minister Mbalula, the coaches and the entire team for the most Olympic Gold Medals by a South African team since the dawn of democracy.

Statement issued by Nomfesane Nyathela, ANC Youth League Head of Sports and Recreation, August 12 2012

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