Road Accident Fund slams media for negative coverage

The Road Accident Fund’s (RAF) search for sustainability is ongoing, but this process is made more difficult by what it says are “misrepresentations” by the media. 

In a statement addressed to South Africans and RAF claimants, it noted “with concern” various reports “that seem to distort the facts” regarding the “progress” made over the past 18 months. 

Among these supposed misinterpretations is the fund’s 45A North Gauteng High Court judgment. 

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“The claimants are even misinformed and told that they cannot submit claims until 30 September 2021,” it said. 

New board, same issues

In a bid to be transparent, the fund said it wished to address the “true state of affairs at the Road Accident Fund”. 

It said that in September 2019, then-chief financial officer of the transport department Collins Letsoalo’s bid to transform the RAF into a “sustainable entity” was agreed to by the fund. This resulted in a permanent board being appointed in December 2019. 

Five priorities were set out:

• reduction of legal fees;
• reducing medical costs;
• reviewing structure and business processes;
• introducing an integrated claims management system; and
• investigating and eradicating fraud and corruption.

The fund has slammed the media for trying to “distort” the RAF’s state of affairs and that it 201920 clean audit achievement was “downplayed”. 

“We appeal to South Africans to be aware of these misrepresentations” and for the media to “vet the ‘experts’ that use their platforms and invite the RAF to these platforms to get the RAF’s viewpoints and correct information.” 

It said although the RAF was “in a better state” when compared to last year and 2019, there was a “long way to go”. 

“Our objective is to leave behind a sustainable RAF that focuses on the interests of the claimant.”