Both the African National Congress and its secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, on Friday declined to publicly respond to the latest comments by the party's youth leader Julius Malema.

The ANCYL president on Thursday rebuked the ANC and Deputy Sports Minister Gert Oosthuizen over their involvement in the Caster Semenya debacle, saying they had allowed politics to interfere in sport.

Semenya was thrust into the spotlight during the IAAF World Championships held in Berlin in August. Her gender was called into question after she won the women's 800 metres event.

It was hardly a novel scenario for the ANC ? a public disagreement with its youth league leader Malema.

He lambasted the ruling party for interfering in the Semenya saga by calling on Athletics South Africa to censure its President Leonard Chuene.

The ASA president admitted he lied about whether Semenya's gender had been tested before she left for Berlin.

No hermaphrodite

Malema's comments about the non-existence of hermaphrodites have also incensed gender activists.

Brian Sokutu, the ANC's spokesperson, says this is not a matter which will be aired publicly.

"These are matters that are best dealt with internally, within the structures of the African National Congress, of which comrade Julius Malema is also a member," said Sokutu.

Earlier this year, Malema was publicly chastised by the ANC for comments he made about then Education Minister Naledi Pandor's accent.

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