A multi-vehicle crash involving a truck, five cars, and a motorbike blocks Kloof Nek Road in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town on 12 September 2023. Image credit: Gallo Images/Die Burger/ Adrian de Kock
(The Post News) – The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has made it known that they have started again to give out billions of rands each month to people making claims. This choice gives much-needed ease and comfort at last to many South Africans who were stuck waiting without knowing when their compensation would come.
For many years, the RAF – is an organization meant to make up for harm done to road accident victims – has been suffering from delays, poor financial handling and legal fights. These holdups have caused a lot of hardship for serious crash victims who were in urgent need of help as their medical costs increased, and they lost their source of income.
A mother from Durban, who got long-lasting injuries in an accident that happened in 2022, said the postponements feel like “another injury.”
“I have been in wait for two years. I could not afford all my therapy and it was my family who bore the load. Thinking that payments are starting again gives a little sense of hope,” she expressed.
Billions Flowing Again as RAF Resumes Monthly Payments
As per the RAF, they make these monthly payments as a part of their fresh promise to clear many unpaid claims. This action comes after courts stopped the Fund from halting settlements and following recent changes in its board due to worries about governance issues.
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said the decision signals a fresh start:
“The RAF is there to guard and help those who suffer from road mishaps. Renewing the monthly payment of huge sums pertains to bringing back honor and trust in this organization.”
Before, the Fund said it must stop or slow down payments to keep its finances stable. But critics claimed this was harming regular South Africans who relied on compensation for their living. Lawyers and civil society organizations disputed this action in court, labeling it as illegal and unfair.
Finally, the courts made a decision for RAF to keep respecting claims. This choice opened up the path for payments to start again.
Although the news has been received positively, there are still obstacles. The RAF is dealing with a large amount of pending work and doubts exist about its long-term viability. Experts caution that if management doesn’t get better and operations aren’t made more efficient, delays could keep happening in the future.
Currently, though, the victims and their families express that starting the payments again is a crucial support.
A taxi driver from Johannesburg, he has been waiting over 18 months for his claim to be handled. He said: “Hope was slipping away from me. I believed that I would never lay eyes on the money again. This restores my belief that perhaps justice is at last making its way.”
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