An incomparable dancer of a well-known indigenous dancing group, Malende a Luaname, this week disputed the rumours that she was dead.

Mrs Ester "Saga" Badzhi of Tshiseluselu village at Khubvi is a popular member of Malende a Luaname, because of her high-quality dancing skills.

In an exclusive interview with Mirror to clear the rumour which is spreading like wildfire, Badzhi indicated that the rumour was brewed shortly after she was transferred from Vhufuli to Polokwane Hospital in July earlier this year. She works at Agri-dam at Tshivhase and said that in July she felt an excruciating pain in her stomach, leading to her becoming swollen under her breasts.

"When I went to Tshilamba Clinic the following day, I was asked what I had eaten and I indicated that I had eaten nothing, because the pain attacked me before I could eat. At that stage, I could not even go to the toilet. I was taken to Vhufuli Hospital, but the doctors recommended that I be transferred to Polokwane," she said.

The traditional dancer added that after she was operated on in Polokwane, she stayed in the intensive care unit for three days. She said that on the fourth day, she began to vomit.

Badzhi said that when she was transferred back to Vhufuli Hospital she was shocked and terrified by the rumour that she was no more. "I was told that everyone across Venda knew that I was dead," she said.

She also denied the allegations that she was poisoned by certain members of her group who are jealous of her dancing skills. "People should just stop this rumour. I also refuse to believe that I was poisoned at work or by any member of my group," she said.

Mesdames Rotlet Mufamadi and Irene Tshipala added that they had received many calls from their fans, asking if it was indeed true that Badzhi was dead.

Badzhi was given the nickname Saga (a bag of mealie mealie) because she always performs wearing a skirt made of hessian (a mealie meal bag).