South Africa’s Road Accident Fund (RAF) spent approximately R12.83 million on legal costs in seven disciplinary cases involving suspended employees. At the same time, at least 16 suspended executives were paid nearly R30 million in salaries, TimesLIVE reports.
Cases involving RAF employees
Transport department spokesperson Collen Msibi said the fund is handling 16 cases concerning possible misconduct. The allegations include gross negligence, serious financial misconduct, failure to perform official duties, dishonesty, harassment, witness intimidation and soliciting bribes.
According to Msibi, nine cases are at the disciplinary hearing stage, while six are at the forensic investigation stage. One more case was discontinued after the employee resigned. He stressed that these are only allegations and that no conclusions should be drawn before the relevant procedures are completed.
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The suspended employees include chief financial officer Bernice Potgieter, chief operating officer Phathu Lukhwareni, governance executive Mampe Kumalo and head of the CEO’s office Mpho Manyashe. Some of them, according to the publication, had been suspended on full pay for nearly two years.
Criticism of spending
ActionSA member of parliament Alan Beesley, who serves on Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts, called the spending on disciplinary cases difficult to justify given the fund’s financial condition. According to him, more than 37,622 valid claims worth R21.76 billion remained unpaid.
The RAF has also asked the National Treasury to raise the fuel levy to R3 per litre. Msibi said precautionary suspensions and investigations are intended to protect the integrity of processes and ensure due process.
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Source: ua.news
