Caster Semenya not paying lobola
After reports emerged that Olympic athlete Caster Semenya is getting married, her father told Rekord that the rumours are false.
South African Olympic silver medallist Caster Semenya, is not getting married, her father told Rekord on Wednesday. This comes after several media reports stating that Semenya is paying R25 000 lobola for her alleged athlete girlfriend Violet Raseboya.
“That is all a lie. It is one big lie that the media came up with. Why does the media lie like this? My daughter is not paying lobola, nor is she getting married. We were all shocked when we heard this. Caster phoned me the other day and asked me if I saw the lies in the newspapers. This rumour, however, is really small compared to what Caster has gone through,” said her father, Jacob Semenya, a maintenance worker at the Silverton Cemetery.
According to reports, Caster (23) has sent her parents to Raseboya’s family in Polokwane to negotiate lobola. Her father, however, denies this. “The media has even lied about me. Apparently I am busy negotiating lobola but as you can see, I am here in Pretoria, working. Caster has never spoken to any media about getting married, however, I have my suspicions about who started this rumour but I can’t confirm anything as this is just speculation,” her father said.
In 2013, media reports stated that Caster was in a relationship with Raseboya, Caster, however, denied the allegations at the time. Jacob Semenya stated that Raseboya is a family friend. “I know Violet and I know her family. Violet and Caster come from the same neighbourhood. We are good friends with the family. Whenever we have family events, we invite each other. Caster is not in a relationship with Violet. These are all rumours,” he said.
Caster, a Sports Management graduate from the University of Pretoria, is currently training after she won a gold medal in a recent race at the university. “She is now studying at the University of South Africa and is very focused. My daughter is not bothered by any of these rumours and is training,” her father said.
When Rekord asked him about his current job at the cemetery, Jacob Semenya added that he is only in Pretoria for work and not to bother his gold-medallist daughter. “I live in Mamelodi with my son. Caster lives elsewhere. I am not here to bother my daughter. I am here to work. My wife is still back home in Limpopo,” he said.
