Pretoria - Government ministers on Tuesday welcomed the return of athlete Caster Semenya to competition after being cleared to compete as a woman.

"This is great news for Caster and all of us. We in the department wish to thank one and all for heeding our request to observe issues of confidentiality in this matter," Minister of Sport Makhenkesi Stofile said in a statement.

"We thank Caster for her patience and resilience. We thank her family and coach for their unfailing support."

Minister for Women Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya also welcomed the news and criticised the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

"It is much regrettable that Caster's outstanding career in athletics has had to be put on hold for almost a year. The disregard for her human dignity... was deplorable," she said in a statement.

"We hope that Caster will find strength to revive her career and achieve even more accolades than she has done already."

The IAAF on Tuesday cleared Semenya, 19, to compete as a woman after reviewing the results of gender-verification tests, conducted nearly nine months ago.

"The process initiated in 2009 in the case of Caster Semenya has now been completed," the IAAF said in a statement.

"The IAAF accepts the conclusion of a panel of medical experts that she can compete with immediate effect. The medical details of the case remain confidential and the IAAF will make no further comment on the matter."

Semenya has not run since winning the 800m world championship in Berlin in August last year. Test results leaked afterwards suggested she was a hermaphrodite.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) also welcomed the IAAF's announcement and asked that the runner be given "space".

"This will give both her and her coach Michael Seme the opportunity to carry on with their lives, both athletically and privately, and allow them be able to plan ahead without having this affair constantly hanging over their heads," Sascoc president Gideon Sam said in a statement.

"Caster has been through an extremely stressful period of her life. The very least we can do is give her some space."

The ANC said the decision was a vindication for the ANC and Semenya.

"The decision by the IAAF of clearing Caster is a vindication of the ANC, her family, our government and all progressive forces who stood behind her during her time of need," said party spokesperson Jackson Mthembu in a statement.

The ANC Youth League called it a vindication for former Athletics SA president Leonard Chuene. He had done everything possible to protect Semenya's career, ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said in a statement.

Shivambu said the league would engage SASCOC, among others, to retain the services of Chuene, describing him as "a true champion of sports development in the country".

Chuene was fired for his handling of issues including the Semenya matter.

The league had also welcomed the IAAF's decision to clear her to run as a woman.