RAF warns it won’t allow lawyers to defraud fund
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) says it is being defrauded “on a grand scale” by lawyers who submit false claims.
The RAF is involved in an ongoing legal battle with the legal fraternity regarding its claims process.
RAF claims that lawyers have been defrauding the organisation and their claimants.
Last year, the organisation revealed that it had successfully prevented fraudulent claims valued at over R2.6 billion from being paid over the last three financial years.
"There is proof that lawyers are defrauding the RAF, as well as the claimant," said the fund’s spokesperson McIntosh Polela.
"There is a fraudulent scheme of lawyers on a grand scale when it comes to both the RAF and their claimants. So we are not clashing with them (lawyers). We are simply stating facts.”
Polela warned the fund will not release funds to corrupt individuals while some have legitimate claims.
"We have referred the case to (Legal Services Ombud) Siraj Desai because we have felt that the LPC has been slow in dealing with our matters.
"They have not shown great enthusiasm in dealing with our matters. As a result, we have taken an avenue that will take our matters seriously and deal with them as a matter or urgency.
“The nature of claims in the RAF, as per the legislation, is that you need to sue the state in order to get your social benefit, and we have said that cannot be. Hence, we introduced the RAF Amendment Bill of 2023.
"Our argument is when you get money from SASSA or NSFAS, you do not have to sue the state, but that's not the case with us.”
Polela believes a resolution will benefit everyone.
"We will take this opportunity to have a better relationship with the LPC. And we are hoping that from all these engagements, they will take up our cases enthusiastically.”
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