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Attorneys handling RAF claims under the spotlight

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The national Portfolio Committee on Transport has heard that attorneys for the Road Accident Fund (RAF) have not paid accident victims what’s due to them.

Residents from Brits in the North West were voicing their unhappiness at the public hearings into the Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill.

Its aim is to replace the Road Accident Fund and legal practitioners are opposed to the Bill.

Some objections raised by citizens include reduced compensation for road accident victims.

The majority of attendees support the passing of the Bill as they claim to have been ripped off by attorneys.

Attorneys present at the hearings are against the proposed scheme.

If the proposed bill is passed, the role of private attorneys handling claims will be significantly reduced.

Parliament’s portfolio committee on Transport chairperson Dikeledi Magadzi says:”In the financial year 2016/2017, the Road Accident Fund paid over R8 billion through claims of the lawyers. It’s an indication that when they say that road accident benefit scheme is not something that they will support, it shows that you’re touching a raw nerve.”

It’s estimated that the Road Accident Fund will have a backlog of R355 billion by 2021.

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