The Road Accident Fund has responded to allegations of fraud saying they will support their CEO unequivocally.
In a statement issued in response to claims that the fund was using its own lawyers to sue itself‚ the fund said “there is no basis” to the allegations.
On Tuesday‚ this newspaper reported that at least two cases had been uncovered in which attorneys contracted to the RAF had been tasked with serving summons on behalf of claimants‚ to prevent the matters from prescribing.
The attorneys were briefed by the fund‚ rather than the claimants‚ who were unaware of the attorneys issuing summons in their name.
DA MPs Manny de Freitas and Chris Hunsinger went to open a case at the Cape Town Central police station this week.
Chairman of the board of the RAF Dr Ntuthuko Bhengu said in the statement that the manner in which the DA handled the matter‚ by approaching the police‚ rather than Parliament to deal with the accusations had been “scurrilous”.
The statement says CEO Eugene Watson has the board’s “unequivocal support”.
The statement says that “it is unfortunate that the DA failed to make use of the Parliamentary processes and law enforcement agencies at its disposal” opting instead to “sensationalise” the matter by opening a case at the police station.
Bhengu said despite several attempts to get the information regarding the claims as well as details of the charge had been unsuccessful.
De Freitas said that the RAF had made no effort to contact him for any of this information.
The RAF’s statement does not address the issue of the fund using its own attorneys in order to serve summons. It does‚ however‚ state that 820 direct claims to the fund had prescribed in the last three years and a “policy and procedure” had been put in place to keep this from recurring.
Meanwhile‚ De Freitas said in a statement yesterday that Transport Minister Dipuo Peters‚ who he had written to requesting further investigation‚ had also chastised the DA in a Transport Portfolio committee meeting for taking the matter to police rather than raising it in Parliament.
Road Accident Fund hits back
The Road Accident Fund has responded to allegations of fraud saying they will support their CEO unequivocally.
In a statement issued in response to claims that the fund was using its own lawyers to sue itself‚ the fund said “there is no basis” to the allegations.
On Tuesday‚ this newspaper reported that at least two cases had been uncovered in which attorneys contracted to the RAF had been tasked with serving summons on behalf of claimants‚ to prevent the matters from prescribing.
The attorneys were briefed by the fund‚ rather than the claimants‚ who were unaware of the attorneys issuing summons in their name.
DA MPs Manny de Freitas and Chris Hunsinger went to open a case at the Cape Town Central police station this week.
Chairman of the board of the RAF Dr Ntuthuko Bhengu said in the statement that the manner in which the DA handled the matter‚ by approaching the police‚ rather than Parliament to deal with the accusations had been “scurrilous”.
The statement says CEO Eugene Watson has the board’s “unequivocal support”.
The statement says that “it is unfortunate that the DA failed to make use of the Parliamentary processes and law enforcement agencies at its disposal” opting instead to “sensationalise” the matter by opening a case at the police station.
Bhengu said despite several attempts to get the information regarding the claims as well as details of the charge had been unsuccessful.
De Freitas said that the RAF had made no effort to contact him for any of this information.
The RAF’s statement does not address the issue of the fund using its own attorneys in order to serve summons. It does‚ however‚ state that 820 direct claims to the fund had prescribed in the last three years and a “policy and procedure” had been put in place to keep this from recurring.
Meanwhile‚ De Freitas said in a statement yesterday that Transport Minister Dipuo Peters‚ who he had written to requesting further investigation‚ had also chastised the DA in a Transport Portfolio committee meeting for taking the matter to police rather than raising it in Parliament.
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