It has come to our attention that a group that sometimes calls itself Thula Sizwe continues to tour in the Chicago area despite repeated requests from us that it stop. The group has also called itself the African Phoenix Ensemble and Phoenix Rising.

The manager of this group is Leshy Paynter.

Mr. Paynter sells music that we believe is being pirated from Thula Sizwe.

We have asked Mr. Paynter to stop representing his group as Thula Sizwe. In April 2006 we received letters from people who saw his group and earlier in the same year and who believe they saw Thula Sizwe. They then found this website, and ordered more music, having indicated they purchased The Great Healer at a concert that we know Thula Sizwe did not present.

We have threatened legal action over this misrepresentation, but have retained faith in Mr. Paynter's goodness to voluntarily stop stealing from the founder and current members of Thula Sizwe. Mr. Abel Dlamini, the founder and leader of Thula Sizwe, has no relationship with Mr. Paynter, and does not benefit when the music he wrote and recorded is sold by this different group. Traditional music has no copyright, but the CD The Great Healer does have a copyright, and Mr. Paynter does not own it.

I ask you, if you read this before attending one of the concerts offered by any group led by Mr. Leshy Paynter, to be sure it does not call itself, and never represents itself, as Thula Sizwe.