RAF is 'national crisis'

TRUST ERODED: ROAD CRASHES DISRUPT THE LIVES OF MILLIONS - EXPERT

- Ina Opperman

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has become a national crisis that demands urgent action as it is mired in a financial and operational crisis, leaving victims waiting up to eight years for compensation.

Every time you fill up your car, part of your payment is a lifeline for road crash victims or, at least, it should be.

South Africans contribute about 40% of the total current fuel levy to RAF, a fund meant to provide medical and financial compensation for victims of road accidents.

Yet the RAF is in crisis and the victims bear the brunt as they wait for compensation, said Prof Hennie Klopper, an authority on third-party compensation law.

"The reality of these delays is not just a bureaucratic inconvenience, but a direct assault on vulnerable people. Victims suffer untreated injuries, worsening medical conditions and mounting financial burdens," he said.

"Meanwhile, the public's trust in the RAF erodes as leadership deflects responsibility and offers no tangible solutions. This is no longer just a policy failure but a moral and societal crisis demanding immediate action."

Klopper said South Africa's roads are among the most dangerous in the world. In 2023 alone, over 12,000 road fatalities were recorded, with pedestrians accounting for 40% of these deaths.