ANCYL leader Julius Malema on Thursday threatened to "mobilise society" against Nedbank following a decision to withdraw its sponsorship from Athletics SA (ASA).

"Let them withdraw. We'll engage them and we'll expose them for who they are. We'll tell them the truth of why they are withdrawing, and we'll mobilise the South African society to know what Nedbank is," Malema told reporters in Johannesburg.

"That's what defines our struggle today — of people who are refusing to accept the transformation, to accept African leadership, to accept new development.

"Why are people — instead of celebrating and putting more money and more sponsorship — are now withdrawing? Are they sponsoring Leonard Chuene or are they sponsoring athletics in South Africa?" asked Malema.

He signalled a warning to the Yellow Pages sponsorship: "Yellow Pages, we are watching this space very closely," said Malema.

Nedbank pulled its sponsorship of the annual Matha Series races, the backbone of road running in the country.

"Nedbank's dissatisfaction with the quality of delivery by ASA of some events in the City Marathon and Matha Series over the past years is well known and the negotiations to end the contract had commenced well before the start of the current controversy surrounding ASA," the bank said in a statement.

Malema said the African National Congress Youth League held a meeting with ASA president Leonard Chuene who has been embroiled in controversy around the Caster Semenya gender saga.

Chuene apologised 10 days ago for lying about claiming that he had no knowledge of the gender tests, which were done before and after Semenya won a gold medal in the World Athletics Championships in Berlin.

"We said to him, 'You know, we're not convinced why you had to say you apologise. For what? Apologising for protecting one of our own? Apologising to fight for this woman to participate in the World Championships?' We wouldn't have apologised if it was us. There's no apology," said Malema.

Attacks in the media have left Chuene "weak".

"Mr Chuene... you finished him," Malema told reporters.

"It is in our culture in the ANC, we always sympathise with the weakest and in this... Mr Chuene is the weakest."

No decision-making body in the ANC had decided that he must be removed from office, said Malema, adding that he would defend Chuene if the issue was raised at Monday's national working committee meeting.

"The ANC.... will never call for Chuene to step down or be dismissed," said Malema, adding that it respected the decision by ASA to retain their president.

See page 2 for Malema's definition of 'hermaphrodite'

Sapa

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