De Broglio Attorneys has launched a court application against the RAF, following continued non-payment of more than 430 claims, despite settlement agreements having been concluded or court orders granted, reports Moneyweb.

The application comes amid heightened scrutiny of the RAF’s governance and accountability, following the decision by Parliament’s Scopa to lay criminal charges against former RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo for failing to comply with a parliamentary summons.

Against this backdrop, concerns around oversight, financial management and the consequences of non-compliance within the RAF have intensified.

Despite these claims having been finalised, many clients remain unpaid long after the RAF’s stated 180-day payment period.

In some instances, claimants have waited more than two years for compensation that has already been agreed to or ordered by a court.

The court application seeks an order compelling the RAF to provide full reasons and detailed explanations for its failure to effect payment in each matter where a settlement agreement has been concluded or a court order issued, but payment has not been made within the prescribed timeframe.

According to De Broglio Attorneys, the matter raises serious concerns about transparency, administrative accountability and the enforceability of finalised claims within the RAF system.

‘These are not numbers on a spreadsheet. They are individuals whose lives have already been fundamentally changed by serious road accidents,’ says director Michael de Broglio.

Rory Meintjies is just one of many tragic examples.

At an age when most young adults are building careers and planning for the future, the 29-year-old is confined to a wheelchair and reliant on family members for daily care. A road accident four years ago left him with a spinal cord injury and permanent paralysis from the waist down.

After spending four months in hospital, he returned home to a future in which he would be unable to work, live independently or care for himself.

While his aunt Belinda works full time to support the household, her mother (73) helps care for Rory during the day.

The family’s lives were changed in an instant, yet despite a court award having already been granted in his case, they are still waiting for payment, reports Moneyweb.

The firm argues delayed payments have a direct impact on access to ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, mobility aids, specialised care, home modifications and the financial stability of affected families.

In some cases, claimants have reportedly died before receiving compensation that had already been finalised through a settlement agreement or court order.

The firm has called for urgent engagement between all relevant stakeholders, including the RAF, the RAF board and the Department of Transport, to prioritise practical solutions that ensure finalised claims are paid within predictable and reasonable timeframes.

Full Moneyweb report