RAF Inquiry: Hlengwa says bad driver behaviour contributing to fund's overdependence on government

Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa says bad driver behaviour is the direct consequence of the Road Accident Fund (RAF)'s financial burden on the state.

This in reponse to concerns from Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), which says it's worried about the impact the unknown liabilities are having on the fiscus.

As SCOPA started its inquiry into governance at the RAF on Tuesday, Hlengwa said driving while under the influence of alcohol is a major contributor to the scores of deaths and injuries on the country's roads.

RAF officials have told Parliament they have been working consistently to clear the backlog of claims that have been plaguing the fund.

But Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Farhad Essack said he's concerned that a value cannot be placed on the overdue claims.

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"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."

Hlengwa said while the committee is grappling with governance issues, the 12,000 lives lost in road accidents every year have led the fund here.

"Part of resolving the liability issue is that we need to reduce the road accidents, then we wouldn’t have to be here."

Hlengwa said at least 137 people are injured in road accidents every day, while 45 percent of fatalities are pedestrians.