The Youth League's threat comes after the bank cancelled its five-year sponsorship deal with Athletics South Africa (ASA) a year early.

The bank said that it was unhappy with the quality of delivery of some events by ASA.

Nedbank also said it found it "inappropriate" to continue with their sponsorship following the ASA president Leonard Chuene's handling of 800 meter gold-medallist Caster Semenya's gender testing issue.

But Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu slammed the bank in a statement, saying its sponsorship withdrawal was aimed at "undermining" ASA's structures and its decision not to fire the disgraced Chuene for lying to the public when he claimed he had no knowledge of the gender tests that were conducted on Semenya.

Shivambu said: "The Youth League will mobilise all patriotic South Africans, corporations, institutions and Government departments that bank with Nedbank to withdraw their accounts from the bank and switch to other banks if the sponsorship is not retained.

"We place it on record that this is not a threat, but a promise with a purpose of ensuring that banks and corporations understand that they have a responsibility to invest in the development of our communities."

The League said, however, that it was willing to engage Nedbank's bosses so that a "common understanding" on sports funding could be established.

Shivambu said: "Athletics development in South Africa should not be undermined because of slight mishaps."


Related stories
September 2009: South Africa company reconsidering sponsorship after Semenya scandal