
SCOPA blames RAF’s litigation failures for billions in legal costs
The committee says delays in investigating and settling claims, combined with a chaotic approach to litigation, have driven much of the Fund’s escalating legal bill.

The committee says delays in investigating and settling claims, combined with a chaotic approach to litigation, have driven much of the Fund’s escalating legal bill.

The RAF has emerged from years of adverse audits with an unqualified opinion, while the government is reworking the Fund’s funding model as part of the revived RABS Bill.

The Road Accident Fund has withdrawn its challenge to the Auditor-General and accepted adverse findings.

Severe understaffing in the Fund’s legal unit compounded years of governance failures and drove a surge in default judgments and rising claim costs.

Internal alerts on soaring payouts and mounting claims were dismissed as ‘negativity’, allowing the RAF’s operational and financial crisis to deepen, SCOPA is told.

Judge says the fund’s failure to send lawyers to court or provide them with instructions is leading to default judgments.

The Road Accident Fund board is taking steps to address deep-rooted governance and financial issues – from executive suspensions to tightening legal oversight – but Parliament is questioning whether it’s too little, too late.