Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
AT LEAST 38 girls and young women were killed in a crash while travelling to Swaziland’s most famous traditional festival.
About 20 others were injured when the truck they were in collided with another vehicle on Friday, the Swaziland Solidarity Network said in a statement.
The young women and girls were travelling on the back of an open truck, the rights group said.
The girls and young women were on their way to the Swazi king’s royal residence for the annual reed dance.
About 40,000 young women participate in the eight-day Reed Dance ceremony in which they sing and dance, usually bare-breasted, before the polygamist king, who can select one of them as a new wife.
Mswati, Africa’s last absolute monarch, chose his 14th wife at the celebration in 2013.
“We all have heard about the dark cloud that has befallen the ‘imbali,’” said King Mswati III, using the Swati language word for flower, used to refer to the groups of women dancers.
Speaking at the opening of an international trade fair today, the king promised that the affected families would be compensated. He added that an investigation into the accident was underway.
Police in Swaziland, a small mountainous country of 1.4 million people bordering northeastern South Africa and Mozambique, discouraged reporting on the accident, said the rights group.
Press photographers were prevented from taking pictures at the scene, said a Swazi journalist who insisted on anonymity for security reasons. However some people managed to take photographs of the aftermath of the crash with their cell phones.
A high-ranking police officer refused to comment on the accident, saying the matter was related to the “highest authority,” and no details could be disclosed to the media.
Police confirmed there had been “fatalities” but declined to specify the toll, with police spokesman Khulekani Mamba saying:
“We won’t be giving out any information because the maidens were on royal duty, so there are certain protocols to be followed before such information can be divulged to the public.”
The females were travelling on a highway between the Swazi cities of Mbabane and Manzini, when the truck carrying them smashed into a vehicle and was then hit in the rear by a second truck, the Times of Swaziland reported.
“We were about 50 on board the first truck that smashed into the Toyota van,” said Siphelele Sigudla, 18, a survivor quoted by the Times of Swaziland.
Swaziland is Africa’s last absolute monarchy, ruled by King Mswati since 1986. The country has one of the world’s highest rates of HIV infection.
- With reporting by © – AFP 2015
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The last sentence of your article relating to HIV seems superfluous. I see why you mentioned it, but it still comes across as a sweeping indictment of their king. Does the journal condemn the Swazi king and his country’s traditions? If so be clear and explain. I hope stories about Ireland aren’t reported in Hong Kong with a closing statement like ‘Ireland is a parliamentary democracy with a [insert random somewhat related issue] problem’.
@James I understand where you are coming from but to be honest I am glad this article mentions the HIV problem. The ‘Swazi King’ is a complete and utter tyrant, the country is in ruins due to his policies. The central reason that HIV is so rampant is due to his complete lack of interest and commitment to solving the problem. Yes Ireland is a democracy, Swaziland however, is ruled by dictatorship. I agree, I would love for this article to explain just how bad the country really is.
fourtern wives. Glutton for punishment. ….
14 wives = 14 Mother in laws. RIP
poor girls RIP…maybe it’s better they escaped that monsters claws? ….he’s a relic with an ego the size of his impoverished country that’s survives on international aid
Gotta love Africa …..
We give €650,000,000+ a year to these places.
Eamonn I am still repulsed by your comments regarding immigrants made earlier in the week ! You are showing yourself up on here.
@lizzy,
So because I believe in border controls and not giving away our money,you are “repulsed”.
You need to get out more.
they have great roads there
Some years ago on New Years Eve my wife and I were driving in a rural part of South Africa. We came down a long hill only to see a large truck stopped by police. There were probably upwards of a hundred people crammed in the open truck singing. I asked my wife what they were singing. They were singing a song asking the police to let them go on their journey because it was Christmas time!!!! They just kept on singing. The police had a great time inspecting my Irish Driving Licence. It is not unusual in South Africa to see a dozen black heads bobbing up and down in the back of a “backie” which is their name for a pickup like a VW Amarak. It does not surprise me that so many are killed in traffic accidents in that part of the world.
It’s spelt ‘bakkie’ pronounced as ‘buck-key’. :-)
unfortunatly it wouldnt surprise me if all 38 girls were in the back of the truck. iv seen people in africa in the backs of trucks like that iys absolutly insane the amount of overcrowding the positive attitude they have its like when the irish say “itll be grand” but like a million times worse
does the king manage to have any time to govern his country.
Mswati is worse than the apartheid rulers.
Why doesn’t the South African government remove him from power?
Rose of Tralee 2025
This couldn’t be true, only Muslims mistreat women, right?
If ever there was a time to end this nonsense, It’s got to be now after this debacle. Think Miss World on a local level and you’re getting there. “Ah sure haven’t they all got nice bottoms” as in Father Ted, I think?
Enviable lifestyle.
Kinda mirrors a recurring fantasy of mine.
Bring on the dancing girls.
have your say