Leemisa Thuseho
THE long-serving president of the Federation of DanceSport Lesotho (FEDALE), Teboho Rakhomo, has resigned, the Lesotho Times has learned.
Rakhomo, who has led the federation since 2017, cited personal commitments in his resignation letter seen by this publication. He said these commitments had prevented him from giving the federation the full attention required of the presidency.
He explained that he had missed many dancesport activities and felt he was no longer doing justice to the sport.
“Your good office may be aware of my continued absence in FEDALE activities. This is due to personal commitments which hinder me from offering my full attention to federation matters, hence my resignation,” Rakhomo said in a letter addressed to the FEDALE secretary-general.
Rakhomo confirmed his resignation to the Lesotho Times, saying that although he had stepped down from federation leadership, he would remain involved in the sport through his Rhythm in Us Dance Academy.
“Recently, I have been struggling to attend dancesport activities to the extent that last year I attended only one. In that way, I have not been performing my responsibilities as president.
“So, to avoid tarnishing the profile I have built and to do justice to the sport, I had to step aside and give others a chance,” he said.
As he exits the presidency, Rakhomo urged the remaining leadership to prioritise grassroots development and expand the pool of dancers in the country.
“Talent identification is very key. We need as many young dancers as possible to promote a smooth transition from youth level to elite level. That way, we will not have problems when others retire, because we will have a strong pool of youngsters ready to take over.”
He also stressed the need to diversify dance disciplines in Lesotho.
“For the longest time we have focused on Latin and ballroom dances. It is high time we introduce street dances, hip hop and social dances, among others,” Rakhomo added.
Meanwhile, FEDALE vice-president, Tlholohelo Nthejane, has assumed leadership as interim president.
“I can confirm that the president, Rakhomo, resigned on Monday and I have taken over as interim president.
“Our immediate task is to prepare for elections so that a president elected by the dancesport community can take office,” Nthejane said.
