Important South African fund investigated over mismanagement, corruption, and legal violations

Following years of pressure, Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) launched a full inquiry into the Road Accident Fund (RAF) over allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and legal violations.

The Association for the Protection of Road Accident Victims (APRAV) welcomed this decision with “deep gratitude and immense relief”.

For more than 11 years, the association has been raising concerns about systemic mismanagement, growing dysfunction, and serious questions regarding financial and ethical oversight at the Fund.

During the period, APRAV submitted evidence, engaged with Parliament, and provided expert input drawn from victims, legal professionals, and civil society.

These concerns were echoed strongly by members of Parliament during a SCOPA session in Cape Town on 24 June 2025.

During the session, SCOPA resolved to launch a full committee inquiry into allegations of maladministration, financial mismanagement, wasteful and reckless expenditure, and related financial misconduct at the RAF.

Chairperson of SCOPA, Songezo Zibi, explained that this decision follows months of repeated attempts by the committee to obtain truthful, complete information from the RAF Board and executive management, to little avail.

“The committee cannot perform its work effectively if state entities do not provide it with complete and truthful information, with adequate context and supporting information.”

Zibi stated that these allegations indicate the Board’s failure to properly oversee management’s decisions and actions in accordance with its statutory mandate.

The committee will approve the terms of reference on 1 July 2025, and the inquiry will take place after the August recess.

The volume of complaints and related documentary disclosures to the committee about the RAF makes it necessary to examine them thoroughly, Zibi explained.

The committee will then make recommendations to ensure that the institution operates within legal and constitutional prescripts and serves the public interest as intended.

“An inquiry will also give everyone involved or implicated the opportunity to state their case under oath, and receive a fair hearing before the committee draws its conclusions.”

A win for South African drivers

APRAV said that SCOPA’s decision is not just an institutional breakthrough. It is also a powerful moment of recognition for every voice that has called for justice and been ignored.

“This is a massive victory – not just for APRAV, but for every victim who has suffered silently under a broken and unaccountable RAF system,” said Pieter de Bruyn, speaking on behalf of APRAV.

“It is a long-overdue reckoning with a system that has failed too many for too long.” Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum expressed grave concern over multiple unresolved issues surrounding the RAF.

Songezo Zibi, Rise Mzansi and SCOPA Chairperson, Gijimani Skosana, ANC member, and Patrick Atkinson, DA member, were among them.

The concerns raised include the continued enforcement of RAF Board Notice 271 of 2022, despite it being declared unlawful by the courts. This means that the Fund has operated on a legal foundation that may be invalid.

Reports of irregular procurement processes and undisclosed contracts also raised concerns about transparency, potential corruption, and the misuse of public funds.

The ongoing Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation into RAF operations further pointed to deep-rooted dysfunction and potential criminal conduct.

Additionally, SCOPA raised concerns about the suspected misuse of auditing standards, which could lead to distorted financial reporting and hinder proper oversight.

Finally, concerns were raised regarding the suspended CEO’s appointment, including doubts over the legitimacy and lawfulness of the selection process.

SCOPA has scheduled a follow-up session for 1 July 2025 to finalise the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry.

According to APRAV, the RAF exists to uphold the dignity and well-being of road accident victims, providing medical care, compensation, and long-term support.

“But when the system breaks down, the consequences are devastating. Victims are left destitute. Families carry the burden alone. Public hospitals are overwhelmed by needs the Fund was meant to meet.”

APRAV stressed that this inquiry is not just about institutional reform. It is about restoring trust in the systems meant to protect South Africans.

“It is about reaffirming that in a constitutional democracy, no institution is above accountability, especially not one entrusted with the lives of our most vulnerable.”

“A functioning RAF is not just a legal matter – it is a matter of public justice, social stability, and national conscience.”

As the inquiry process begins, APRAV called on victims, legal practitioners, former RAF employees and whistleblowers to come forward and share their evidence and experiences. Submissions can be made confidentially to: [email protected].

“Let this be the beginning of a new chapter for the RAF — one rooted in truth, accountability, and the collective will to do better,” de Bruyn said.