The public have until this Sunday to submit objections to the proposed changes to the Road Accident Fund (RAF), which will severely cut down on the support offered to victims and in some cases, do away with compensation entirely.
That’s according to Advocate Justin Erasmus, who says the proposed changes, if adopted, would have a major impact on those innocently affected by road crashes.
The Road Accident Fund is a government-funded scheme that provides compensation to victims involved in a motor vehicle accidents in South Africa.
According to the proposed changes, medical aid members and medical insurance holders will no longer be able to claim for medical expenses incurred.
Erasmus says government’s planned changes could be a recipe for disaster.
“You would have no compensation for your general damages in terms of your pain and suffering and so forth, for loss of earnings. Everyone is going to get the same flack rate irrespective of what you earn, and it would be paid in annuities. The net result of that if I can give you an example is if you are in an accident and you’re put in a wheelchair, you might get a disability grant. you would get nothing for pain and suffering and you would get a bandage for your bed sores. It’s literally as bad as that…”
More details in the podcast below:
Concerns over excluding foreign nationals
RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo recently stated that it was unsustainable for the fund to cover foreign nationals.
Last year, the RAF issued a directive halting lump-sum payments to individuals lacking valid documentation in the country.
This directive is currently under legal challenge by Zimbabwean national, Adam Mudawo, who was the victim of a road accident and suffered facial disfigurement.
