Deputy Minister Hlengwa Blames Reckless Driving For Road Accident Fund’s Heavy Financial Strain

Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa has pointed to poor driver behaviour as a major factor behind the Road Accident Fund’s (RAF) ongoing financial troubles.

He told Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) that reckless and negligent driving, particularly under the influence of alcohol, continues to fuel the number of fatalities and injuries on South Africa’s roads.

Hlengwa’s remarks came during SCOPA’s inquiry into governance challenges within the RAF. The committee expressed concern about the fund’s mounting liabilities and their growing impact on the national fiscus.

Parliament Raises Alarm Over RAF’s Mounting Liabilities

RAF officials briefed Parliament on Tuesday, saying efforts are ongoing to address the backlog of claims that have long burdened the fund. However, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Farhad Essack said the inability to quantify overdue claims remains a major concern.

“The biggest contingent liability that National Treasury faces in this country is, without a doubt, the Road Accident Fund, meaning it’s a pitiless hole, not knowing the exact amount of the liability,” Essack said.

SCOPA members echoed the sentiment, noting that the uncertainty surrounding the RAF’s financial commitments continues to pose a serious risk to the country’s economy.

12,000 Deaths Annually Highlight Urgency for Safer Roads

Hlengwa emphasised that the scale of road carnage in South Africa must be addressed to ease the RAF’s financial pressures. “Part of resolving the liability issue is that we need to reduce the road accidents, then we wouldn’t have to be here,” he said.

According to Hlengwa, around 12,000 lives are lost annually on South African roads, with approximately 137 people injured daily. He also highlighted that 45 percent of road fatalities involve pedestrians, calling for greater awareness and enforcement to change driver behaviour.

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