Amid a current backlog of about 321 000 unfinalised claims, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has launched a campaign to reduce claims submitted before April 2021 that have yet to be finalised.

The campaign calls claimants to submit all outstanding documents to ensure that the RAF has all the necessary information required to investigate and pay claims timeously.

During a media briefing on May 2, RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo said the objective of the campaign was to inform and educate claimants of the documents needed to process and finalise claims, as well as about how to submit outstanding documents and where to go for further information.

He explained that the delays in processing some of the claims were linked to outstanding documents, noting that the RAF needed additional information from the claimant or the claimant’s attorney to support the claim initially submitted to the RAF.

“The anticipated outcome of this campaign is that the RAF will process and finalise more claims, thus significantly reducing the waiting period for some of the claimants that had to endure these long periods.

“A call for the outstanding documents ensures the RAF has the necessary documents and details that inform it of what has been claimed for, setting out the basis for the claim in order to allow the RAF to investigate and ultimately pay the claim,” said Letsoalo.

“This is a call to action,” he added.

Other challenges include comprehensive medical assessments for serious injuries, and the litigation process which involves a court process that the Fund must adhere to by law.

Claimants and their representatives who submitted claims before April 2021 are encouraged to deliver all outstanding documents in order for the fund to finalise their claims. Enquiries about which documents to submit can be made at any of the RAF’s offices or through email.

Claimants can submit their outstanding documents through email on contactcentre@raf.co.za or drop the documents off at any of the Fund’s regional offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, East London and Cape Town.

The documents can also be dropped off at the fund’s customer service centres in Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Kimberley, Mahikeng and Durban. More details about these offices are available on the fund’s website.

To determine which documents are outstanding, claimants can visit www.raf.co.za, click on the 'Drive Your Claim Forward' banner on the home page and get the information about which documents they need for their specific claim.

Claimants can also contact the RAF’s Contact Centre on 087 820 1111, using SMS on 44930, or by email on contactcentre@raf.co.za. Claimants who request a call back will be contacted by one of the contact centre agents.

“We want to pay the oldest claim first. The only way we can do it is if we have got all the information at our disposal to be able to make you an offer as such,” said Letsoalo.