BUGANU FEST: 7 INJURED DURING STAMPEDE OVER FOOD

BUHLENI – What was meant to be a day of enjoyment at the Buganu Festival, ended on a painful note for some of the members of the Lutsango Regiment.

Yesterday, Eswatini celebrated the annual Buganu Festival, where thousands of women presented products from the marula fruit to Their Majesties. The marula fruit is a type of plum that grows randomly in some parts of the African continent. The fruit is fermented to produce a brew that has become associated with the Buganu Festival, which is commemorated mainly by women. The women also use this event to share ideas and learn how they can convert the fruit into business.

Chaos erupted in yesterday’s event, resulting in a stampede that left 17 of the women injured. While some women lined up to collect food parcel, others began to rush forward and as the commotion erupted, some of the women on queue walked over hot porridge that was served with some meat. It is during this time that a stamped occurred as more women rushed forward in an attempt to get food. It was revealed that some of the women had fallen along the way and trampled over by others, who were rushing to make sure that they collected some food. There was no clear version of what was happening while the women were being trampled upon by others. Others lay flat on the ground as others step on them in the mad rush.

It was only later that some of the members of the regiments realised that there had been a stampede and that some people were injured. After the commotion, two men were seen trying to force their way into the arena saying one of their relatives had been injured. They said the injured relative was an elderly woman and they had been trying to reach her on her cellphone but could not get hold of her. When the Times SUNDAY team arrived at the entrance of the arena, more women were found trying to enter, so that they could find out the condition of their relatives. The injured members of the regiments were then rushed to the nearest hospital.

Meanwhile, there were also claims that four of the members of the regiments had died during the stampede, an allegation that was quickly refuted by the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati. Vilakati only confirmed that seven people were injured and taken to hospital, where they were treated and discharged. A member of the public who did not want to be mentioned said it appeared that the chaos may have been a result of bees. He said the bees disturbed some of the women who then tried to run but one of them fell, causing a stampede. *Jomo (not his real name), who said he could not find his relative said an elderly women was fatally injured. He also alleged that a child might have died.

Reporters from this publication also, went to the Mkhuzweni Health Centre where the members of the regiments who had been injured were rushed to. Upon arrival, some of the women who were injured were found being treated. One of the women was later wheeled to another section of the hospital by a security guard after she had been attended to. A vehicle from a funeral parlour was also found at the scene to collect what appeared to be a corpse. Some of the officials quickly said the body was that of an elderly man who had died earlier.

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