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| Horror crash along Swaziland expressway |
Three trucks ferrying
members of imbali from cutting the reed at Mpisi farm and Bham’sakhe were last
night involved in a spine chilling accident. The accident scene was sombre as those
who were first to reach the site were emotional wrecks who were at a loss for
words after the horrific accident. The terrible accident happened along the
Mbabane-Manzini highway, immediately after the overhead bridge at Matsapha
(Mahhala). Badly injured maidens were rushed to various hospitals in the
country with most in critical condition after they were flung out by one of the
trucks and landed on the tarmac.
According
to eyewitnesses, the accident was allegedly caused by a driver of car who was
driving from the Matsapha Shopping Complex and was about to join the highway to
Mbabane.
Swazi
Observer on Saturday report continues:
He
was signalled to stop by traffic police officers as the convoy of trucks
ferrying imbali was approaching from the Manzini city direction. The
eyewitnesses said the driver stopped on the side of the road but within
seconds, a loud bang was heard as one of the trucks ferrying the imbali knocked
the car from behind before the other two trucks got involved in the nasty
pile-up.
In
what has been described as heart-wrenching accident, the imbali in some of the
trucks was flung out and crash-landed on the tarmac while others were run over
by the trucks in the pile-up.
According
to information gathered, so serious was the accident that the tarmac was awash
with blood and critical imbali littered all over the place.
Paramedics
from all units arrived promptly at the scene and the injured were rushed to
hospital while others were treated for minor injuries and attended for trauma.
Traffic
headed for the Mbabane direction had to be diverted to go via Lozitha and
Mahlanya, a situation that lasted for more than five hours as the police
traffic department and members of the fire services tried to clear the scene.
When
sought for comment at the scene of accident, Police Deputy Information and
Communications Officer Inspector Phindile Vilakati confirmed the accident
involving imbali.
However,
Vilakati explained that at the moment they cannot disclose any figures
involving deaths as such was subject to doctor’s certification and
investigations are still to be conducted.
However,
some officers from the fire department, paramedics and the police confided to
the Observer on Saturday that the accident indeed had fatalities.
A
Swaziland rights group says 38 girls and young women were killed in a crash
while travelling to a famous traditional festival.
The
Swaziland Solidarity Network said in a statement on Saturday that about 20
others were injured when the truck they were in collided with another vehicle
on Friday.
The
Times of Swaziland reported that the truck smashed into the back of a van and
was then hit in the rear by another truck.
The
women were on their way to the Swazi king's royal residence for the annual reed
dance.
A government website says
about 40,000 girls and young women participate in the eight-day ceremony each
year in which they bring reeds to reinforce the windbreak around the royal
residence.
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