Parliament, Friday, 10 October 2025 - The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) today concluded the first week of its enhanced oversight enquiry into the financial management and governance of the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
The committee received presentations from the RAF, the Department of Transport, the National Treasury, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AG), the Accounting Standards Board (ASB), and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
Key takeaways that emerged this week include:
- The committee expects the board to account for the dramatic reduction in the number of claims recorded and processed based on the RAF’s interpretation of the RAF Act of 1996 that has so far been found unlawful by the courts.
- The ASB, a statutory body within the National Treasury, confirmed to the committee that the AG is not legally permitted to apply a different standard during an audit to the standard stipulated by the ASB. This is in light of ongoing litigation by the RAF wherein it seeks to compel the AG to apply a standard which is not approved by the ASB and stipulated in the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
- The committee expects the board to explain on what basis they approved litigation against the AG, to compel them to act outside its powers.
- In interactions with the Department of Transport, the process for the appointment of board members is weak and arbitrary. In the final stages of the enquiry the Minister of Transport will be asked to set out ways in which these processes can be strengthened.
- Even though the committee had previously been told that the new claims process is simple and can be completed without the use of an attorney, the RAF nonetheless conceded this week that most claimants need the assistance of an attorney.
- The AG told the committee that the integrated claims management system is behind schedule and at risk of having to be reconfigured because the RAF has refused to factor in the implication of current litigation around the RAF 1 form. To date the form has been found unlawful by the courts.
- The SIU highlighted severe weaknesses in the board’s exercise of its fiduciary responsibilities, lack of cooperation by executives with the SIU investigation and flow of money from attorneys to family members, and a family trust of an executive. Since June 2024, the SIU has repeatedly tried to afford the former Chief Executive Officer of the RAF an opportunity to respond to allegations and observations made about him in the investigation without success.
The Chairperson of SCOPA, Mr Songezo Zibi, said: “All the information provided by these entities will assist the committee in making further enquiries during the course of the next few weeks.”
Next week the committee will hear evidence pertaining to procurement and financial management.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, MR SONGEZO ZIBI.
For media enquiries, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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