Former RAF board defends recommendation of Letsoalo for CEO

Former board members of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) have defended their recommendation of former chief executive officer, Collins Letsoalo, saying they believed him to have been the best man for the job when he was hired permanently in 2020.

They have also told Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), which is investigating maladministration at the fund, that it was not their place to get involved in employee matters when questioned about testimony that Letsoalo waged a "reign of terror" against former employees.

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Witnesses who have testified before the committee have painted Letsoalo as a hard and unfair boss, with the trade union NUMSA on Tuesday labelling him “a monster.”

Former Deputy RAF chairperson Nomonde Mabuya-Moleole has explained to the committee that Letsoalo first came to the fund on secondment from the Department of Transport.

She said the board carried out a proper recruitment process to fill the post of CEO, and Letsoalo’s years of financial experience in the department, coupled with his vast knowledge of the fund, put him a cut above other applicants.

"I had no doubt that he would be the right person. His depth and understanding of the RAF Act was the most outstanding thing of that interview."

Fellow former board member and former board chairperson Zanele Francois agreed when asked by the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Patrick Atkinson about Letsoalo’s management style. She said the recruitment process included integrity assessments and psychometric testing.

"So, there were no indicators when he was appointed that we were going to experience any problems."

Letsoalo has to date refused to appear before the inquiry, maintaining that it is acting outside of its powers by conducting this probe.

The hearing continues.