Road Accident Fund (RAF) South Africa: Key Updates, Trends & Challenges – September 2026

Introduction

South Africa’s Road Accident Fund (RAF) continues to dominate headlines as the entity navigates a complex landscape of record payouts, a growing claims backlog, funding reform debates, and ongoing legal battles. As of September 2026, several critical developments are shaping the future of the RAF and its ability to compensate road accident victims across the country. Here is a comprehensive overview of the latest news and trends.

RAF Pays R8.9 Billion in Claims in Just Three Months

In a significant milestone, the Road Accident Fund paid out R8.9 billion in claims during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year (April to June 2026). This represents a 54% increase compared to the R5.8 billion paid in the same quarter of the previous year.

A total of 80,665 claims were settled, with an average payout of approximately R283,595 per claim. The breakdown of the R8.9 billion includes:

• R4.83 billion – Loss of earnings (the largest component)
• R2.02 billion – Plaintiff legal costs
• R1.36 billion – General damages
• R291 million – Loss of support
• R276 million – Past medical expenses
• R160 million – Future medical expenses

RAF board secretary Mokete Daniel Penane confirmed the improvement, stating: “For the quarter to date, we’re sitting at R8.9bn being paid versus performance of the prior year being R5.8bn, which shows that we’re paying quite well. We are 54% above where we used to be at the same time last year.”

R21.7 Billion in Finalised Claims Still Unpaid

Despite the improved payout performance, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has revealed a troubling reality: the RAF is sitting with more than R21.7 billion in finalised claims that have not yet been paid to claimants.

According to the RAF’s Requested Not Yet Paid (RNYP) Claims Register, as at 28 June 2026:

• 37,622 claims worth R21.76 billion remained unpaid
• These claims involved 47,949 payment transactions
• The majority of outstanding claims (36,442) date back to the period between 2007 and 2026

The main reasons cited for delayed payments include:

• Outstanding compliance checks – affecting claims worth nearly R11 billion
• Verification delays – affecting claims worth more than R9.1 billion
• Missing documents – affecting claims worth approximately R1.7 billion

Moonstone’s analysis further confirmed that despite the RAF’s increased payment rate, the RNYP balance actually grew from R18.56 billion at the start of Q1 to R22.18 billion by 30 June 2026 — a net increase of R3.62 billion — as new claims entered the pipeline faster than they were being resolved.

RAF 1 Form Deadline: A Surge in Claims

One of the most pressing challenges facing the RAF in September 2026 is the influx of RAF 1 form claims. Following a landmark court judgment in May 2026 that declared the RAF’s strict documentation rules unlawful, the fund was ordered to accept previously rejected claim forms. Affected claimants were given until 30 September 2026 to resubmit their claims before they permanently expire.

The RAF had already received approximately 62,000 RAF 1 claims by August 2026, with estimates suggesting the total could reach 159,000 claims by the September cut-off date. The fund has introduced overtime and reorganised staff to manage the surge, prioritising resources to handle the strain on the system.

New Funding Model Under Review: A Vehicle Licence Fee?

The RAF’s long-term financial sustainability remains a critical concern. Currently funded primarily through a fuel levy on petrol and diesel, the government is exploring alternative funding mechanisms.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has confirmed that the Department of Transport is reviewing the RAF’s funding framework, with one option being a mandatory fee linked to annual vehicle licence renewals or initial vehicle registrations. This potential new vehicle-linked fee has sparked debate among South African motorists and industry stakeholders.

The minister stated: “The Department of Transport, in collaboration with the Road Accident Fund (RAF), has initiated a structured review of the RAF funding framework, guided by a formal business case. Once this process is completed, it will be communicated publicly.”

Foreign Nationals and the RAF: R23 Billion in Claims Over Five Years

A contentious issue that has drawn significant attention is the volume of RAF claims lodged by foreign nationals. According to Minister Creecy’s parliamentary response, over the five financial years from 2021/22 to 2025/26:

• A total of 13,127 foreigner-related claims were lodged
• The total value claimed amounted to R23.3 billion
• The RAF paid out approximately R6.3 billion to foreign nationals over the same period

The Department of Transport is currently challenging court rulings that allowed undocumented foreign nationals to claim from the RAF. Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa confirmed the department’s appeal, arguing that the courts should have applied laws of restriction in their rulings.

Parliamentary Oversight: Signs of Recovery, But Reforms Must Accelerate

The Portfolio Committee on Transport Chairperson, Mr Donald Selamolela, has expressed cautious optimism about the RAF’s trajectory. In February 2026, he stated that the RAF is “on the road to recovery,” acknowledging that significant work is being done to improve governance and stabilise operations.

However, he also called for urgency: “Kindly speed up your game in whatever you are doing, and we share the view that RAF is an important service delivery mechanism that touches interrupted lives of people.”

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has also been active, with calls for urgent reforms and even moves to lay criminal charges against the former RAF CEO, Collins Letsoalo, related to governance failures.

Community Outreach and Direct Claims

In a positive development, the RAF has been rolling out a “boots on the ground” community outreach programme, placing employees directly in communities to help claimants resolve issues, check claim statuses, submit outstanding documents, and report unscrupulous attorneys and touts. Recent outreach events have been held at Ngwelezane Hospital (February 2026), Kokstad (August 2026), and Ulundi (September 2026).

Deputy Minister Hlengwa has also highlighted a critical gap in the system — the need for the RAF to follow up with claimants after paying their attorneys to confirm that claimants have actually received their payouts, describing this as “a missing link in the ecosystem.”

Key Trends and Outlook

Based on the latest news and data, several key trends are emerging for the Road Accident Fund:

1. Improving payout performance – The 54% year-on-year increase in Q1 2026/27 payouts signals operational improvement, but the growing RNYP queue shows the fund is still not keeping pace with demand.
2. Funding model reform is imminent – The shift away from a pure fuel levy model towards a vehicle licence fee is gaining momentum and could significantly impact South African motorists.
3. Legal battles continue – Court rulings on foreign national claims and RAF 1 form rejections are reshaping the claims landscape and adding pressure to the fund’s resources.
4. Governance improvements underway – Parliamentary oversight is intensifying, with SCOPA and the Portfolio Committee on Transport pushing for faster reforms and accountability.
5. September 2026 RAF 1 deadline is critical – The 30 September 2026 cut-off for resubmitting previously rejected RAF 1 forms is expected to trigger a significant spike in claims volume.

What Should RAF Claimants Do?

If you or a loved one has been involved in a road accident in South Africa, here are important steps to take:

• Lodge your claim promptly – RAF claims must generally be lodged within three years of the accident date.
• Ensure all documentation is in order – Missing documents are one of the top reasons for payment delays.
• Use the RAF’s direct claims process – You do not need an attorney to submit a claim; the RAF offers a direct claims process.
• Attend community outreach events – The RAF regularly hosts outreach events where you can check your claim status and submit documents.
• Be wary of unscrupulous attorneys and touts – Report any suspicious behaviour to the RAF directly.

Conclusion

The Road Accident Fund remains one of South Africa’s most critical — and most challenged — public entities. While there are genuine signs of improvement in payout performance and governance, the fund continues to grapple with a massive unpaid claims backlog, a looming surge in RAF 1 form submissions, and fundamental questions about its long-term funding model. For road accident victims across South Africa, staying informed about these developments is essential to ensuring they receive the compensation they are entitled to.

Stay updated on the latest Road Accident Fund news by bookmarking this page and checking back regularly for daily updates.