Thandanani ensemble splits…Director tenders resignation letter Thandanani women’s ensemble
Thandanani women’s ensemble

Thandanani women’s ensemble

Danisa Masuku—
THE Director of Thandanani women ensemble, Ellen Mlangeni, has pulled out of the group amid leadership squabbles. Mlangeni said she had tendered her resignation after a member of the group, Florence Sithole, tried several times to unseat her from her position. “I decided to pull out not because I wanted to but I was forced by the situation. Florence Sithole influenced other members not to take any advice from me and accused me of being too harsh and self-centred,” she said.

“When we were performing at a wedding she influenced other members not to take any advice from me when I suggested that we change the attire to suit the dress code of the wedding.” Mlangeni said a meeting was held on Friday to review their performance the previous year and all members turned the heat on her.

“When we were assessing how we fared in 2015, I was shocked to realise that I was the main topic of discussion. To my surprise, all members led by Florence Sithole started asking me why I objected to the idea of using dance regalia instead of a dress at a wedding.

‘‘The meeting became tense as I was accused by every member. I became emotional and cried. On February 5 I tendered my resignation letter,” she said. Mlangeni has gone solo and formed her own group called Umagogo emkulwini.

Contacted for a comment, the new leader of the group, Florence Sithole, denied the accusations. “What I can tell you as a group is that we were reviewing how we performed in 2015 and we were shocked when Mlangeni gave us a letter of resignation. She didn’t say a word; she just left,” said Sithole.

This is not the first time for Thandanani women ensemble to split over leadership squabbles. At the end of 2012, a former Director, Muchaneta Dube, pulled out and formed her group Iluba lemvelo.

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