World champion Semenya to get house

Aug 29, 2009, 15:10 GMT

Johannesburg - South African women's 800m world champion Caster Semenya is to receive a house in recognition of her achievement, South African media reported on Saturday.

Controversy has followed the 18-year-old since winning the gold medal at the world championships in Berlin and questions have been raised about her gender.

Reports on Saturday said that the provincial government of Limpopo and a property developer will build a house for the world champion and her family.

'The Limpopo MEC for local government and housing Ntate Soviet Lekganyane is pleased to announce that his department in partnership with Bitline Property Developers will build a brand new home for the family of 800m Track World Champion Mokgadi Caster Semenya,' the Limpopo government said in a statement.

'The people of Limpopo are very proud of Caster Semenya's achievements.

'As we congratulate and celebrate with her, our mandate as a department dictates that we must ensure that she and her family are properly housed.'

The reports said that a spokesman for the government said that the construction of the house would be paid for by the developer, with the provincial government finding sponsors for the finishes and helping with project managers.

He said that they had visited the family and come to the conclusion that the house in which they were presently staying was not adequate.

He added that they had also been to the house of fellow world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, but found that his family had proper shelter.