One of the dancers whose performance in a South African prison caused uproar on Monday has angrily denied that she and her colleagues were “strippers”.
Busi Mahlangu told The Sowetan newspaper that her troupe were “professional street dancers” who had been invited to perform.
We were a group of three girls and three guys and the pictures that are circulating only show me and another female dancer. We were not even aware that someone was taking pictures of us and we are shocked that we are now being called strippers.
This has affected us very badly because this is our work and we get paid for it. This will affect our reputation because we also get international bookings.
Someone took advantage of the situation and manipulated it to suit the power struggle that is currently going on there.”
Cassius Tlhotlhalemaje, a male member of the group, said their performance had lasted nine minutes and the prison inmates seen in the photos had only joined them on stage afterwards.
One inmate said that the group knew he had wanted to take a picture with the girls he said.
“There was nothing sexual about it,” he told The Sowetan.
Thirteen prison officers have been suspended as a result of the controversy.
