45 die in bus crash in South Africa; 8-year-old sole survivor
Johannesburg, Mar 29: Only nine of the 34 bodies which had been recovered were identifiable on Friday from the horrific crash that saw 45 Easter pilgrims from Botswana dead in a bus crash in South Africa's northern province of Limpopo.
An eight-year-old child is the sole survivor of the Thursday's accident when the bus drove off the railing of a bridge and burst into flames in a mountainous region near Mokopane town, about 270 km northeast from here.
The deceased were all from the neighbouring Botswana and were on their way to an annual Easter gathering of the Zionist Christian Church (ZCC) headquarters at Moria in Limpopo province, where over two million congregants from the southern African region assemble each year at this time.
The driver apparently lost control of the bus, which led to it plunging off the bridge into a ravine more than 150 feet deep and immediately bursting into flames. He was among the dead.
"According to the passenger bus list from the owner, who is also a Botswana citizen, there were 31 females and 15 males on board the 45-seater taxi. All passengers were from a village called Molepolole, near Gaborone," police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told the media.
She said that recovery efforts were continuing to comb the scene for more bodies, adding that a case of culpable homicide had been opened by the police.
"Interpol NCB Pretoria will continue to liaise with and update Interpol NCB Gaborone on the process to identify and repatriate the remains of the deceased," Mathe said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa conveyed his condolences to the Republic of Botswana and to the family and friends of the 45 bus crash victims.
In a call to Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi , Ramaphosa pledged continued support of the South African government during this time of need for the people of Botswana.
President Masisi expressed his gratitude for the cooperation that the government of Botswana has received from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), as well as from the provincial and local government structures, Ramaphosa's office said.
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Maharashtra government considers tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme amid fiscal strain: Reports
Mumbai: A day after the Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, attention has turned to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme that played a pivotal role in attracting women voters.
The scheme, launched in July 2024, offers ₹1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65. The Mahayuti, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the amount to ₹2,100 per month, a promise now under scrutiny due to fiscal concerns. With the scheme projected to cost the exchequer ₹33,300 crore from July 2024 to March 2025, bureaucrats are exploring ways to revise its provisions to prevent a financial imbalance.
Finance Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar hinted at the challenges, stressing the need for "financial discipline." A senior bureaucrat confirmed that plans are underway to prune the list of beneficiaries, citing the inclusion of ineligible individuals due to incomplete Aadhaar seeding and lack of required ration cards. According to the finance department, nearly one crore women out of the 2.43 crore registered beneficiaries may not qualify for the scheme.
The state’s debt burden is already projected to reach ₹7.82 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Officials warn that continuing the scheme in its current form could impact the government’s ability to pay salaries by January. Despite these concerns, the ruling coalition is hesitant to reduce the beneficiary list, likely due to the upcoming civic elections.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik is expected to present renegotiation proposals to the new chief minister soon. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde credited the scheme for increasing the number of women voters and boosting the coalition’s vote share. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar also acknowledged the scheme’s role in mobilising women voters.
Other welfare measures introduced by the government include an electricity bill waiver for farmers and three free LPG cylinders annually for six million households. However, the financial viability of such initiatives remains a pressing concern.
