The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has opened an investigation on the expenditure of the Road Accident Fund (RAF). They have found irregularities that make up almost R340 million.

SCAMS

The SIU began the investigations in 2021 and have since recovered about R317 million that was paid to lawyers by the RAF. According to the SIU there are other claims that the RAF lost further due to corruption. On Wednesday, the SIU briefed Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) THAT fraudulent claims were due to unlawful conduct by employees. "RAF has a payment system which dictates that when a claims offer is accepted, whether by settlement or by way of a court order, such claim will wait 180 days before it is paid," said SIU's chief national investigations officer, Leonard Lekgetho. "As a result, an attorney will attach the RAF bank account by way of writs of execution served by the sheriff causing the RAF bank to effect payment in terms of the writs upon the 180 days lapsing."

INVESTIGATIONS

The SIU confirmed that 102 law firms, including sheriffs, were being investigated and they recovered R317.6 million. The SIU and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will be implementing disciplinary measures against former RAF officials. "Disciplinary referrals will be made against those implicated officials who failed to ensure that proper controls are in place to mitigate duplicate payments or officials who failed to implement the controls," the SIU said. "The officials who left the employment of RAF will be referred to the NPA where there is evidence of criminality in their conduct." Payments of about R482 million are being owed to attorneys and have been blocked while the RAF investigates.