New office makes accident claiming easier for victims

THE opening of Road Accident Fund (RAF) offices in Makwarela, Vhembe, during their roadshow on Saturday has already helped claimants in the area by speeding up the payment of their claims.

Over R15 million was approved for payment to claimants who submitted their claims directly to the new RAF offices.

“We want the RAF offices in Makwarela to help claimants in the Vhembe area to speed up their claims so that they can get funds as quickly as possible. Each claimant is assessed and compensated accordingly,” Dineo Thabede, RAF Pretoria general manager said.

Thabede, who was joined by Thulamela mayor, Grace Mahosi and some Vhembe District Municipality councillors said the fund was planning to conduct an outreach programme to tribal councils so that communities that could not attend the roadshow in Makwarela could also be informed on the RAF.

During the roadshow, some 20 pairs of school shoes were handed out to needy children, and wheelchairs were given to RAF claimants who had been paralysed in accidents.

Mahosi warned motorists who bribed traffic officials to stop such practises so that the province’s roads and motor vehicles could be safer. She also urged learners to obey the rules of the road, especially when crossing busy roads on the way to and from school.

Tshifhiwa Mamilasigidi from Duthuni village was one of the claimants who received forms to submit a claim. Her daughter was killed in a car accident in March last year. She said although she will get funds on behalf of her dead child, it will not bring back her daughter.

Mamilasigidi said she was concerned that money paid to a deceased person’s beneficiaries was less than that paid to survivors of an accident. “Funerals are extremely expensive; therefore I would like to urge the RAF to give families that have lost someone more money,” she said.

For more information on the RAF in Vhembe, contact Vuwani Nematatani at 076 814 6682 or Tefu Bugana at 072 122 9567.