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The Road Accident Fund (RAF) Board has completed its first 100 days in office, showcasing major steps to rebuild stability, integrity, and public confidence. Since its appointment in August, the Board has tackled deep-rooted governance, financial, and human resource challenges that had weakened the Fund’s operations.
What Happened
When the Board assumed office, it inherited a troubled institution plagued by weak financial controls, adverse audit findings, and serious governance lapses. The Auditor-General’s reports and Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probes exposed years of mismanagement, systemic fraud, and corruption that left the RAF financially unstable and struggling to serve victims of road accidents.
Key issues identified included:
- Default court judgments ballooning to R13 billion over four years.
- High vacancy rates at senior levels.
- A pattern of vindictive suspensions and dismissals that hurt staff morale.
These factors collectively undermined the RAF’s ability to deliver on its social security mandate.
Official Response
The new Board has prioritised restoring governance, rebuilding financial discipline, and stabilising human resources.
Among its first 100-day actions were:
- Reconstituting governance committees and strengthening oversight.
- Launching an independent review into governance failures.
- Implementing SIU and Auditor-General recommendations.
- Taking decisive action against any employee found guilty of misconduct, wasteful spending, or fraud.
- Introducing a recruitment plan to fill management gaps with skilled professionals.
The RAF also achieved a record payout of R5.5 billion in October 2025, the highest monthly total in its history signalling improvement in claims processing and financial efficiency.
“I am deeply impressed by the dedication and extra effort of RAF staff in processing and paying claims faster than before,” said the RAF Board Chairperson. “This milestone shows the progress we are making in restoring dignity and justice to road accident victims.”
Community Impact
These reforms aim to improve service delivery for accident victims, restore staff morale, and rebuild trust with the public and stakeholders. Engagements with employees nationwide revealed strong support for change and optimism about the Fund’s turnaround.
The Board reaffirmed its focus for the next 100 days on:
- Finalising a comprehensive turnaround plan.
- Enforcing consequence management for proven misconduct.
- Filling key leadership posts.
- Advancing digital and operational reforms.
