LAWYERS who tout for business from road accident victims so they can help them claim money from the Road Accident Fund will be prosecuted if the Law Society of the Northern Province has its way.

LAWYERS who tout for business from road accident victims so they can help them claim money from the Road Accident Fund will be prosecuted if the Law Society of the Northern Province has its way.

The society has called for touting to be criminalised. It has also set up an anti-touting committee to address the issue.

President of the society Charles Mnisi said in a statement: "At a recent meeting members of the SAPS special investigation team provided shocking evidence of touting, which has resulted in falsified claims worth millions of rands being submitted to the Road Accident Fund."

Johan Gresse, the committee's chairperson, said apart from lawyers, doctors, police and tow-truckers were also involved in touting.

"The police and tow-truckers refer accident victims to certain attorneys who in turn pay them for their services. Medical practitioners are also implicated as they sign medical certificates that are submitted to the RAF, even if they are for false claims."