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Minister of Home Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma today, Sunday 23 August 2009, telephoned South Africa's Gold Medallist and 800m World Champion Caster Semenya in Berlin, Germany to express her support to the athlete following a furore over her gender.

Minister Dlamini Zuma added he voice to most South Africans who expressed outrage following questions that had arisen over Semenya's gender following her successful completion of the 800m race which made her a world champion.

"All of us South Africans are indeed proud that Caster has brought honour and glory to our country through her sterling performance at the Berlin Athletics World Championship despite doubts being expressed about her gender," said Minister Dlamini Zuma.

"We are proud that despite these distractions Caster still went on to win the gold medal both for her own pride in particular and the pride of the nation in general," continued Minister Dlamini Zuma.

"Accordingly, all of us as South Africans, especially women, must rally around Caster and reject with the contempt it deserves the insinuations being made about her gender. In this regard, Caster deserves our support as a nation against the onslaught being waged against her. To us Caster is simply the best 800m woman World Champion and must be given a heroine's welcome upon return to South Africa on Tuesday, concluded Minister Dlamini Zuma.