The Democratic Alliance (DA) has accused Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters of “clearly protecting” Road Accident Fund (RAF) CEO Dr Eugene Watson “without even considering the evidence that we have provided her”.

The DA this week laid criminal charges Watson‚ and wrote to Peters requesting an investigation into the RAF and its CEO.

The party said it has evidence that appears to “document large-scale fraud allegedly taking place at the RAF”.

“The evidence‚ in the form of letters from complaint attorneys to claimants‚ illustrate how the RAF essentially appears to sue itself in order to maintain a certain cash flow‚” the party’s shadow transport minister‚ Manny de Freitas‚ said.

De Freitas said that the matter came up at this week’s transport portfolio meeting‚ and that Peters chastised DA members and accused to party of “governing through the courts and the police”.

“Although the minister admitted in the portfolio committee meeting that she had not yet seen the DA’s letter‚ she reprimanded the DA members of the committee for laying the charges and for even writing to her‚” claimed De Freitas.

He said the DA will be again writing to the minister‚ “asking her to confirm that‚ based on what she said‚ if she will not be following our recommendations to launch an investigation‚ particularly as she appears to have made up her mind without considering the evidence”.