35 medico-legal experts who provided services for RAF owed over R41m, Parly told

A representative for 35 medico-legal experts who have provided services to the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has told Parliament that by the end of September, they were owed more than R41 million.

Mariette Minnie has testified before the inquiry of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) investigating financial maladministration at the fund, which is funded by the fuel levy.

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Minnie said some of the outstanding payments date back to 2014, and at least 40 of her clients have had to downscale their practices due to the outstanding debt.

Minnie said medical experts have, over the years, waited more than 500 days to be paid and havebeen paying back erroneous double payments despite still being owed millions of rand by the fund.

She said attempts for recourse by approaching the Public Protector and even former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to stop courts from using medical opinions that have not been paid for have largely come to nought.

“Intellectual property was stolen. That is the bottom line that happened here. The services that the experts provided to the Road Accident Fund were stolen.”

Even though they are owed millions, her clients don’t add interest to their bills despite currently waiting between 300 and 400 days to be paid by the RAF.

She added that a group of 47 medical experts, including those she represents, are collectively owed more than R120 million by the fund.

Several of her clients have terminated her services because they can no longer afford to pursue the RAF.

“They love the work, but it is just not sustainable. Too many of them have really lost too much. We cannot continue.”

The inquiry is set to continue next week.