Thirty-eight teenage girls have reportedly died following a horrific bus crash on their way to dance for the Swaziland’s King Mswati III.
The deaths of these young girls described as being ‘virgins’ have led to calls for the cancellation of Monday’s annual event.
The girls who died were among 50 teenagers aboard a lorry which crashed into a car that police escorts had directed to the roadside.
A second lorry rammed into the first from behind on a highway bridge in Matsapha, on route to King Mswati’s royal palace in Lozitha.
The traditional annual dance has over the years become a tourist attraction that interests people from all over the world. As many as 80,000 girls are expected to parade and dance for King Mswati.
Sources have said that it is very unlikely that the highly publicized event will be cancelled following this tragedy.
