ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has urged people to keep supporting world 800m champion Caster Semenya to ensure she continued to run as a woman.

Malema was speaking during the league's 65th anniversary celebration at Masehlong village (Caster's home village) in Moletji, outside Polokwane, at the weekend.

He said Semenya needed everybody's support to be able to achieve her goals.

"These allegations about her being an hermaphrodite are unfounded. In our culture there's nothing like that. Even the Home Affairs Department recognises people as either male or female," said Malema.

He further threw his weight behind embattled Athletics South Africa (ASA) president Leonard Chuene, saying he had done well by lying to protect Semenya.

"Caster is a young girl who needs the support of us all. Chuene was right to lie to protect her," he said. He urged the business community to support Semenya's family financially.

In a turn of events, Malema also called on the ANC to fire Aganang municipal mayor Manoko Masehela, whom he accused of failing to provide services to the people of Masehlong.

This was after the villagers complained that there had been no provision of water since the dawn of democracy.

"The ANC has made a commitment to deal with non-performing officials, and Masehela is one of them," Malema said.

Malema also said he would recruit people to move away from Nedbank after the institution withdrew its sponsorship of ASA. He said the decision by the bank was racially motivated.

The ANCYL has promised to build a house for Semenya's family, the construction of which will begin as soon as her mother Dorcas gives the go-ahead.