The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has made significant strides in combating fraudulent claims, with a whopping R65 million’s worth of claims blocked over the last three financial years. This move is part of the RAF’s ongoing efforts to crack down on fraudulent and corrupt activities.
A total of 2031 fraudulent claims were rejected during this period, with 870 claims rejected in the 2023/2024 financial year alone. The RAF’s fraud detection strategy has been instrumental in identifying and rejecting these claims, ensuring that the Fund’s financial resources are rightfully directed towards road crash survivors.
In fact, over R1 billion in fraudulent claims were identified for rejection over the past three years. This not only safeguards the Fund’s financial resources but also ensures that legitimate claimants receive the compensation they deserve.
The RAF’s efforts to combat fraud have also led to successful prosecutions. Recently, Siyabulela Kima was sentenced to five years in prison for submitting a fraudulent claim worth R8.3 million. Kima had alleged that his vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle, but investigations revealed that the accident was actually caused by Kima’s epileptic attack while driving.
According to RAF Chief Executive Officer Collins Letsoalo, “Fraud costs the RAF money and negatively impacts service delivery to road crash victims and their families. It is a national problem that threatens the very mandate which the organisation seeks to deliver on for road users.”
The RAF continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies and other government departments to verify employment or personal information and resolve each case. The organisation encourages all road crash survivors who suspect fraudulent activity to report it immediately.
