The dancers, whose performance in a South African prison
caused uproar on Monday has angrily denied that she and her colleagues were
"strippers".
One of them, 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 that the group knew 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.
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