RAF Pleads With Parliament Over Broken Funding Model, SA Reacts

• The Road Accident Fund has appealed to the Parliament to help rethink the organisation's funding model as it buckles under the weight of liabilities worth billions
• RAF appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, which is conducting an inquiry into the RAF's maladministration
• RAF admitted that it cannot stop the claims, and South Africans weighed in on the fund, giving different opinions on how it could be fixed

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News's current affairs journalist, covered current affairs relating to international conflict, the economy, finance, banks, and state-owned enterprises during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

PARLIAMENT, WESTERN CAPE — The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has pleaded with Parliament to help restructure its funding model as it wrestles with liabilities that exceed billions.

According to Eyewitness News, the RAF senior personnel appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on 3 February 2026 as the Committee continues to investigate the RAF's maladministration. The RAF's board estimated that its liabilities were in the region of over R100 billion for the previous quarter.

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RAF pleads with Parliament

The chairperson of the RAF's audit and risk committee, Ntina Themba, said that the RAF cannot stop the claims from coming, and when asked what solution the board proposed, she said that there was no clear path forward to turn the dire situation around. She asked if Parliament would be willing to help the RAF's funding models. The RAF's interim board chairperson, Kenneth Bown, said that he did not think that raising the fuel levy, which contributes to the RAF's finances, is the solution.

Road Accident Fund woes

The year 2025 saw the Road Accident Fund experience turmoil and upheaval. An investigation into a R79 million lease tender for offices was probed, and the RAF's suspended CEO, Collins Letsoalo, was at the centre of it. He was placed on special leave in May as the Special Investigating Unit probed the tender deal. This was despite his denying the allegations in April.

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The RAF's problems didn't end there. The Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, dissolved the RAF's board on 15 July 2025. She cited persistent governance and operational challenges, which she said undermined the fund's ability to fulfil its mandated role.

South Africans disagree with the RAF's diagnosis

Netizens commenting on the RAF's appearance before the SCOPA refuted the notion that the RAF's funding system was broken.

Ilona Hilditch said:

"The model isn't broken! The theft outweighs the funds."

Konrad Rossouw said:

"Just want to steal more."

Kobus Botes said:

"It's not the funding model that's broken. It's the spending model!"

Pedro Gemelgo said:

"When there is theft, no model will work."

RAF ordered to pay undocumented foreigner R1.4 million

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Road Accident Fund was ordered to cough up R1.4 million to a foreign national who filed a claim after an accident in 2016.

The Western Cape High Court heard that the Road Accident Fund only learned that the undocumented foreigner was undocumented after the claim was awarded. The court ruled in the foreign national's favour.

Source: Briefly News