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LequteMan
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A large number of Swazi virgins, according to reports, died last week on their way to an annual festival in which they dance 'topless' for Swaziland's King Mswati III.
Official police figures put the number of deaths at 13, other reports say 38 but one pro-democracy group has said it is as high as 65.
However there is deep suspicion in Swaziland that King Mswati III's regime is not telling the truth about the number of deaths in the Reed Dance road smash on Friday.
The Daily Telegraph, a UK-based newspaper, on Saturday quoted Bheki Gama, a freelance journalist who was at the scene of the accident.
'He said paramedics had told him that dozens of young women had died at the scene or on the way to hospital.
'He said he saw at least five bodies strewn across the on-ramp, which was covered with blood.
'"It was absolutely terrible," he said. "There were bodies everywhere. The tar was covered with blood. Many of the bodies had been collected by the time I arrived."'
'Mr Gama said the government blacked out coverage of the accident and is refusing to release information to journalists.'
The AP also reported, '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.'
Official police figures put the number of deaths at 13, other reports say 38 but one pro-democracy group has said it is as high as 65.
However there is deep suspicion in Swaziland that King Mswati III's regime is not telling the truth about the number of deaths in the Reed Dance road smash on Friday.
The Daily Telegraph, a UK-based newspaper, on Saturday quoted Bheki Gama, a freelance journalist who was at the scene of the accident.
'He said paramedics had told him that dozens of young women had died at the scene or on the way to hospital.
'He said he saw at least five bodies strewn across the on-ramp, which was covered with blood.
'"It was absolutely terrible," he said. "There were bodies everywhere. The tar was covered with blood. Many of the bodies had been collected by the time I arrived."'
'Mr Gama said the government blacked out coverage of the accident and is refusing to release information to journalists.'
The AP also reported, '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.'