Road Accident Fund South Africa: Key Updates, New CEO & Claims Surge – October 2026

Road Accident Fund South Africa: Key Updates, New CEO & Claims Surge – October 2026

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) in South Africa continues to make headlines in October 2026, with major developments spanning a new CEO appointment, a landmark court ruling triggering a massive claims surge, record payout figures, and ongoing calls for structural reform. Here is a comprehensive overview of the latest news and what it means for claimants, legal professionals, and South African road users.

1. New RAF CEO Appointed: Waseem Carrim Takes the Helm

One of the most significant developments in recent weeks is the appointment of Waseem Carrim as the new permanent Chief Executive Officer of the Road Accident Fund. Cabinet announced the appointment on 29 September 2026, with Carrim’s tenure set to begin on 1 November 2026.

Carrim, a Chartered Accountant with a BCom Honours in Accounting Sciences, a Master’s in Taxation from the University of Pretoria, and an MBA from Wits Business School, brings a strong financial and public-sector background to the role. He previously served as CFO and then CEO of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), where the agency recorded nine consecutive clean audit outcomes under his leadership. Most recently, he served as Acting CEO of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Carrim takes over from Collins Letsoalo, whose five-year tenure was marked by significant governance controversies and is currently under investigation by Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA). The RAF experienced four CEOs in just seven months during 2025, highlighting the management instability that Carrim now inherits.

Speaking on his appointment, Carrim acknowledged the scale of the challenge, describing the issues at the fund as “not insurmountable” while vowing to tackle the “low trust” that has come to define public perception of the RAF.

“Waseem Carrim’s tenure is expected to begin on 1 November. He takes on a battered RAF that has faced allegations of governance failures, financial mismanagement and a culture of fear.” – News24

2. SCA Ruling Triggers Surge of Nearly 160,000 New Claims

A landmark Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) judgment handed down on 30 April 2026 has set off a massive wave of new claims at the RAF. The ruling declared the 2022 RAF 1 Form regime unlawful and reinstated the original 2008 version of the form.

Background: The RAF 1 Form Dispute

The RAF 1 Form is the official document through which claimants lodge compensation claims with the Fund. In 2022, the RAF introduced a revised form with stricter documentation requirements, arguing that too many incomplete claims were clogging the system. However, the Gauteng High Court declared the revised form unlawful in March 2024, and the SCA confirmed this ruling in April 2026.

The SCA found that:

• The RAF did not have the authority to impose the additional binding requirements.
• The Minister’s approval of the revised form was unlawful.
• The required public participation process had not taken place.
• The revised form created barriers to lodging claims by requiring extensive documentation upfront.

The Claims Flood

As a result of the ruling, claimants whose submissions were rejected or not acknowledged under the 2022 regime were given until 30 September 2026 to resubmit their claims using the 2008 form. The RAF reported the following figures to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport on 11 August 2026:

• By 1 July 2026, the RAF had already received 62,643 claims in this post-judgment stream.
• Of these, 95% (59,306) were personal claims and 3,337 were supplier claims.
• Based on the intake rate, the RAF projected a total of 159,591 claims by the 30 September deadline.
• The potential financial exposure could reach approximately R45.3 billion, based on the average payment of R283,595 per claim.

The claims were concentrated in major urban centres, with Pretoria accounting for 29,958 claims, followed by Johannesburg (17,904), Durban (5,672), East London (5,016), and Cape Town (4,093).

To manage the surge, the RAF brought in additional contractors and interns, introduced overtime, reorganised staff, and made IT and process changes. Its Integrated Claims Management System, Bokamoso, was also reconfigured to accommodate the reinstated 2008 form.

3. RAF Payouts Hit R8.9 Billion in Just Three Months

Despite the operational challenges, the RAF has shown a significant improvement in its payout performance. During the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year (April to June 2026), the Fund paid out R8.9 billion on 80,665 claims — a 54% increase compared to the R5.8 billion paid in the same period the previous year.

Key payout breakdown:

• Loss of income: ~R4.8 billion (the largest portion)
• Plaintiff legal costs: ~R2 billion
• General damages: ~R1.1 billion

The average payment per claim stood at R283,595. RAF board secretary Mokete Daniel Penane told Parliament: “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.”

However, despite the improved payouts, the amount requested but not yet paid grew from R18.56 billion to R22.18 billion during the same quarter, indicating that the payment queue continues to expand.

4. Governance Crisis: SCOPA Investigation and the Letsoalo Legacy

The RAF’s governance challenges remain a central concern. SCOPA’s extensive investigation into former CEO Collins Letsoalo’s tenure has uncovered a range of troubling findings:

• The RAF had 301,203 open claims as of 30 June 2026.
• The Fund moved from a clean audit in 2019/20 to three consecutive adverse audit opinions.
• Between April 2020 and June 2025, 188 RAF employees were suspended, with 35 still suspended when SCOPA considered the matter.
• The RAF spent R121.26 million on labour-related legal fees and R5.57 million on acting allowances.
• A security arrangement for the CEO grew from ~R480,000 per year to an operation costing R20.3 million between 2021 and 2025, involving nine officers and an armoured BMW X5.
• The RAF paid R8.63 billion in legal costs to its 20 largest plaintiff law firms between April 2020 and December 2025.
• There were more than 7,500 default judgments in the Pretoria High Court alone between April 2022 and May 2024.

In June 2026, SCOPA resolved to lay a criminal charge against Letsoalo for failing to appear before the committee in response to a summons. Parliament subsequently handed evidentiary documents to SAPS for referral to the National Prosecuting Authority.

SCOPA chairperson Songezo Zibi has described the RAF as technically insolvent, pointing to liabilities of more than R100 billion against annual revenue of approximately R50 billion from the fuel levy.

5. DA Proposes Settlement Hub to Tackle Claims Backlog

Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament Patrick Atkinson has proposed the creation of a dedicated “settlement hub” for processing RAF claims. The proposal was put forward as part of SCOPA’s final recommendations following its investigation into the RAF.

Atkinson argued that a settlement hub would save significant money in legal fees and reduce the number of matters going to court. The committee is currently finalising its recommendations before submitting them to the National Assembly.

6. Transport Committee: RAF “On the Road to Recovery”

Earlier in 2026, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, Mr Donald Selamolela, expressed cautious optimism about the RAF’s trajectory. Speaking in February 2026, he said: “We are satisfied that indeed there is work happening to improve governance and stabilise operation of RAF.”

Deputy Minister of Transport Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa also told the committee that reforming the RAF remains a priority, likening the task to “fixing an aeroplane while airborne.”

What This Means for RAF Claimants

If you have a pending or potential RAF claim, here is what you need to know:

• The 30 September 2026 deadline has passed for resubmitting claims rejected under the 2022 RAF 1 Form regime. If you missed this deadline, consult a legal professional immediately.
• The RAF is processing claims faster, with payouts up 54% year-on-year — but the queue is still growing.
• The new CEO, Waseem Carrim, is expected to prioritise clearing the backlog and restoring trust in the Fund.
• Claimants experiencing delays can contact the RAF directly via WhatsApp on 071 605 4707 or call 087 820 1111.

Conclusion: A Fund at a Crossroads

The Road Accident Fund stands at a critical juncture in October 2026. With a new CEO taking the reins, a massive influx of claims following the SCA ruling, improved payout performance, and ongoing governance reforms, the coming months will be decisive for the Fund’s future.

The appointment of Waseem Carrim brings fresh hope for stability and accountability, but the scale of the challenges — from a R100+ billion liability to hundreds of thousands of open claims — means that meaningful reform will require sustained effort, legislative changes, and strong political will.

For South African road accident victims, the stakes could not be higher. Stay informed, know your rights, and seek professional legal advice if you believe you have a valid RAF claim.

Sources: Moonstone Information Refinery, Sowetan, SABC News, News24, Africa24 TV, IOL

Published: 10 October 2026