City unveils new customer centre
The new centre will fast-track the processes and promote efficient payments of claims and will also make awareness of the services the agency offers.
MBOMBELA – The MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Mr Vusi Shongwe, attended the unveiling of the Road Accident Fund’s (RAF) new customer-service centre last week.
The offices are situated at the new Canary Walk Mall in Mbombela’s CBD. RAF’s chief strategy officer in Mbombela, Ms Mantiti Kola said the new centre will fast-track the processes and promote efficient payments of claims. She said the branch will also make people aware of the services the agency offers.
“We have strategically placed these offices in this building so that claimants can easily access our services. Through the services, we want to empower people with information that they can make their claims directly with us,” she said.
According to Kola, a lot of money was being spent on legal fees, hence they needed to stress that people should claim directly from them. She emphasised that RAF is not only concentrating on aftercare services but they are also involved in road safety and fully support the department’s initiatives.
According to Shongwe, improved service delivery and quicker turnaround time to claims were expected at the branch. He added that claimants will benefit equally from the service RAF renders.
“These claimants are families of victims of road crashes of whom most were breadwinners, that is why we need to ensure that there are no more delays in payouts,” he said.
Shongwe also mentioned that the changes legislated in the Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill of 2014 will come in handy to distressed victims. The Bill enables them to claim directly without using lawyers who in some cases are suspected of ripping them off.
According to Shongwe, the reduction of road crashes in the province could contribute positively to the economy of the country as a lot of money is spent on RAF claim payouts.
