Road Accident Fund (RAF) South Africa: Key News & Updates – October 2026

Road Accident Fund (RAF) South Africa: Key News & Updates – October 2026

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) continues to dominate South African headlines in 2026, with mounting unpaid claims, a new CEO appointment, landmark court rulings, and ongoing debates about the fund’s long-term financial sustainability. Here is a comprehensive roundup of the most important RAF developments you need to know about this month.

1. RAF’s Unpaid Claims Balloon to R21.7 Billion

One of the most alarming revelations of 2026 is the sheer scale of the RAF’s unpaid claims backlog. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy confirmed in a parliamentary reply that as of 28 June 2026, the RAF’s Requested Not Yet Paid (RNYP) Claims Register recorded 37,622 finalised claims worth a staggering R21.76 billion — spread across 47,949 payment transactions.

The primary reasons for delayed payments include:

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

Disturbingly, many of these outstanding claims date as far back as 2007, with 36,442 claims spanning the period from 2007 to 2026. Accident victims and their families are being left in financial distress while waiting for compensation that has already been approved.

2. RAF Pays R8.9 Billion in Q1 2026/27 — But the Queue Keeps Growing

Despite a significant increase in payouts, the RAF’s payment backlog continues to grow. According to figures presented to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport in August 2026, the RAF paid out R8.9 billion across 80,665 claims between April and June 2026 — a 54% increase compared to the same quarter in the previous financial year.

However, the RNYP balance actually increased from R18.56 billion to R22.18 billion during the same period, as R12.57 billion in new claims entered the pipeline — far outpacing the R8.95 billion paid out.

Where Did the R8.9 Billion Go?

• Loss of earnings: R4.831 billion
• Plaintiff legal and costs: R2.018 billion
• General damages: R1.358 billion
• Loss of support: R291 million
• Past medical expenses: R276 million
• Future medical expenses: R160 million
• RAF legal and costs: R51 million
• Funeral costs: R4 million

The average payment per claim was approximately R283,595. Acting CEO Radikwena Phora noted that the Fund can receive as little as R4 billion per month, while its payment queue can exceed R20 billion — a structural imbalance that demands urgent attention.

3. New CEO Appointed: Waseem Carrim Takes the Helm

In a significant leadership development, Cabinet approved Mr Waseem Carrim as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Road Accident Fund in September 2026. The appointment comes at a critical time as the RAF faces enormous financial and operational pressures. Carrim’s leadership will be closely watched as stakeholders hope for improved efficiency, faster claim processing, and greater transparency in the fund’s operations.

4. Court Orders RAF to Pay R2.2 Million — and Slaps It with Punitive Costs

In a damning High Court ruling, the RAF was ordered to pay R2.23 million to accident victim Catherine Yiannakis — and was simultaneously issued a punitive cost order for its conduct in the matter.

Yiannakis, a pedestrian injured in a motor vehicle collision on 12 February 2018, has been living in a long-term care facility for nearly eight years. The RAF refused to pay her past hospital and medical expenses — amounting to R2.23 million — on the grounds that her medical aid (Discovery Health) had already covered a portion of the costs.

Acting Judge M Louw of the Western Cape High Court found the RAF’s opposition to be “frivolous” and criticised the fund for:

• Attempting to circumvent binding court orders through internal directives
• Ignoring established Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) rulings
• Wasting public resources and driving up legal costs for claimants
• Contributing to delays and backlogs in claim finalisation

“It is wholly unacceptable that the RAF persists in defending these hopeless matters, thereby wasting public resources, driving up legal costs for both the RAF and claimants, and compelling claimants to incur unnecessary expenses to enforce rights already established.” — Acting Judge M Louw

This ruling is part of a broader legal battle between the RAF and medical aid schemes — particularly Discovery Health — over who bears responsibility for past medical expenses already covered by a claimant’s medical aid. A Supreme Court of Appeal judgment on this issue is still pending.

5. Proposed New Vehicle Fee to Fund the RAF

With the RAF’s funding model under severe strain, the Department of Transport is exploring a new vehicle-linked fee to supplement the fund’s income. Currently, the RAF is primarily funded through a fuel levy on petrol and diesel.

The proposed fee would be attached to annual vehicle licence renewals or initial vehicle registrations. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy confirmed that a formal business case is being developed:

“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.”

The proposal has already drawn criticism from various quarters, including the Public Servants Association (PSA), which rejected the idea of an additional vehicle tax on South African motorists who are already under significant financial pressure.

6. RAF Faces Surge of Revived Claims

The RAF is also grappling with a surge of revived or reinstated claims — cases that were previously closed or lapsed but have been brought back to life following court rulings that opened the door for previously rejected claims. This has added further pressure to an already overwhelmed system, with the RAF’s open claims book standing at 301,203 claims as of 30 June 2026.

Of these, 88% (263,801 claims) remain on the older Legacy system, compared to just 37,402 on the newer Bokamoso integrated claims management system — highlighting the slow pace of digital transformation within the fund.

7. ATM Calls for RAF Payouts to Be Limited to South African Citizens

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has called on Parliament to limit RAF payouts exclusively to South African citizens. The party argues that foreign nationals should rely on travel insurance or their home countries for compensation, rather than drawing from the already-strained RAF. This proposal has sparked debate about the fund’s mandate and the rights of foreign road users injured on South African roads.

8. RAF Community Outreach and “Boots on the Ground” Approach

In a positive development, the RAF has been rolling out a “boots on the ground” community outreach programme, placing RAF employees directly in communities to help claimants resolve outstanding issues. The initiative includes:

• Helping claimants check the status of their claims
• Assisting with outstanding documentation
• Informing claimants of settlement offers they may be unaware of
• Reporting unscrupulous attorneys and touts

Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa highlighted a critical gap in the system: in some cases, attorneys had received RAF payments on behalf of clients without informing the claimants. He described this as “a missing link in the ecosystem” and called for the RAF to follow up directly with claimants after paying their attorneys.

Key Takeaways for RAF Claimants in October 2026

If you have a pending RAF claim or are considering lodging one, here are the most important points to keep in mind:

1. Check your claim status regularly — Use the RAF’s online portal or attend a community outreach event to track your claim.
2. Ensure your documentation is complete — Missing documents are one of the top reasons for payment delays.
3. Be aware of your rights regarding medical aid expenses — The legal battle over whether the RAF must pay past medical expenses already covered by medical aid is ongoing. Seek legal advice if your claim has been rejected on these grounds.
4. Be cautious of unscrupulous attorneys and touts — Report any suspicious behaviour to the RAF directly.
5. Note the September 30, 2026 deadline — Legal practitioners dealing with certain RAF matters were advised to take urgent note of a critical claims deadline that passed on 30 September 2026. If you missed this deadline, consult a legal professional immediately.

Conclusion: The RAF Crisis Demands Urgent Reform

The Road Accident Fund remains one of South Africa’s most embattled public entities. With over R21 billion in unpaid claims, a growing backlog, ongoing court battles, and a funding model under review, the RAF faces a perfect storm of financial and operational challenges.

The appointment of a new CEO, the rollout of community outreach programmes, and the exploration of new funding mechanisms are steps in the right direction — but far more decisive action is needed to restore public confidence and ensure that road accident victims receive the compensation they are legally entitled to, without years of delay.

Stay tuned to this blog for daily updates on the Road Accident Fund and other important South African legal and financial news.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have a RAF claim, please consult a qualified attorney.