OVER 30 MAIDENS THRASHED FOR ELOPING WITH BOYS

MBANGWENI – A primary school-attending girl who absconded with her boyfriend is among over 30 maidens who were given a serious hiding for delinquent acts during the Shiselweni Reed Dance ceremony.

The girl disappeared from her camp on Saturday night and only resurfaced the following morning.
This occurred at the annual ceremony held at the Mbangweni Royal Residence over the weekend.
Most of the girls, who were caned by their headmen, were beaten for not participating in the main event, while they left their respective homes under the pretext that they were going to the Reed Dance Ceremony.

Sources close to the matter revealed that over 300 maidens formed the regiment from Magele, but 30 of these drifted into delinquency upon reaching the royal residence. It was discovered that while the girls were being punished by the headmen, some got seriously injured as they tried to run away. Most of them were treated by paramedics, who attended to their case overnight (Saturday).

Hlangabeza Mdluli, Imbali (maidens) Overseer, said nothing formal was reported to him over the incident.
“Even if that may have happened, such matters are beyond our jurisdiction. It is only the relevant imiphakatsi that can address such issues.
“Usually, we do not detect terms, it is up to the inner councils of the relevant imiphakatsi to deem fit any form of punishment,” he said.
The primary school girl, on the other hand, is said to have gone missing after she left their camp at Nsongweni High School without reporting to anyone.

She hails from Mbilaneni in the Shiselweni region, where she also attends school.
Information gathered is that the girl left with a male companion after dancing on Saturday.

The girl is said to have gone back to their campsite, without knowing that the headmen were already aware that she had spent the night out.
Sources said she just resurfaced and joined other maidens as if nothing had happened.

Much to her dismay, the headmen who were manning the camp confronted her, demanding answers on her disappearing act.
She underwent serious questioning before the headmen caned her, demanding the truth.
She later confessed to having left the camp to join a male companion she had promised to visit after Saturday’s dancing.
Police were also alerted about the maiden who had drifted into delinquency.

Police officers arrived at the campsite and took the girl away to hospital for tests.
Assistant Superintendent Khulani Mamba, Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer, confirmed the incident.
He said the girl was taken to a health facility in order to find out whether there was any penetration that happened over the night.
Mamba said medical personnel ruled out the possibility of penetration. He said an inquiry was opened though.

“It was discovered that the girl had not engaged in intercourse, hence there were no arrests relating to the incident. The matter has been taken up at umphakatsi level, and it was gathered that the boy would be fined by his chief, following the abduction of the young girl,” Mamba said.

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