JOHANNESBURG -- 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.
[Ads /]
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.