In the event of being involved in a motor vehicle accident, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) can be reached on 087 820 1 111 from Monday to Friday, 07:45 to 16:00.
Claimants may also contact the RAF’s Contact Centre on the WhatsApp number 071 605 4707, via SMS on 44930, or by email on contactcentre@raf.co.za.
In addition, the RAF is reachable through its offices countrywide, details of which are available on its website on www.raf.co.za.
Safety and responsibility
Meanwhile, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has urged all South African road users to prioritise safety and responsibility on the roads this Easter weekend, following a concerning rise in fatalities over recent holiday periods.
In the 2023/2024 financial year, the RAF settled claims amounting to R45.6 billion, a stark reminder of the financial and emotional toll of road accidents on both the government and society.
The breakdown of these costs includes:
- R47 million for funeral claims
- R21.6 billion for loss of earnings
- R12.7 billion for general damages
- R2.6 billion for loss of support
- R1.7 billion for medical compensation
“These numbers are more than just figures – they represent real people, families, and communities suffering loss,” said RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo.
“Reckless driving, pedestrian negligence, and poor vehicle maintenance are all preventable causes of tragedy.”
Rising toll over Easter
The Easter 2024 period recorded 335 deaths, the highest Easter weekend toll since 2019, and a sharp increase from 252 deaths in 2023.
From 2019 to 2024, 1 325 fatalities were recorded over Easter weekends alone.
Contributing factors
The RAF cited several key contributors to road crashes:
- Human Error: speeding, jaywalking, hit-and-run incidents
- Vehicle Failures: tyre bursts, brake failures, smooth tyres
- Environmental Factors: poor visibility, road defects, stray animals, and sharp bends
Letsoalo added, “These are all factors that we can do something about as individual road users. Arrivals at unintended destinations should never happen.”
Call to action
The RAF is calling on drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and all road users to pledge responsibility and help make this Easter weekend fatality-free.
“The emotional, social and economic cost of road crashes is too high. Let us drive with care, respect the rules of the road, and arrive safely,” the RAF statement concluded.
Have you ever successfully claimed through the RAF?
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