The Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, has announced the appointment of an Interim Board for the Road Accident Fund (RAF) for a period of six months, or until a new board is appointed or whichever comes first.
Last month, the board was dissolved due to persistent governance and operational challenges that beset the fund and significantly undermined its ability to discharge its statutory mandate.
“Some of you will recall that the previous board was dissolved on 15 July 2025, due to its failure to act in the best interests of the entity and to fulfil its fiduciary duties.
“It therefore became urgent and necessary to close the governance vacuum in the RAF leadership. It is for this reason that Cabinet has approved the appointment of an Interim Board,” the Minister said on Friday in Pretoria at a media briefing.
The Interim Board will provide strategic direction to the entity and enable it to deliver on its mandate. It will also help ensure financial and governance stability of the RAF.
The RAF is responsible for providing appropriate cover to all road users within the borders of South Africa; rehabilitating and compensating persons injured as a result of motor vehicles in a timely and caring manner; and actively promoting the safe use of all South African roads.
“The Interim Board must help address deficiencies in governance and control systems, including frequent incurrences of default judgments against the RAF.
“The interim Board will have to initiate a process of filling executive positions that are critical to the mandate of the Fund. It will also cooperate with the current and future Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigations.
“As the Ministry, we have already established a panel of independent experts to advise the shareholder and the board on the views of RAF stakeholders on how to develop a sustainable RAF operational and governance model, and to review the RAF’s business processes and propose actionable recommendations,” Creecy said.
The Department of Transport will also continue to pursue all necessary measures to restore institutional stability and enhance the RAF’s capacity to fulfil its statutory obligations to the public by finalising the Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill.
The bill proposes legislation in South Africa aimed at overhauling the current Road Accident Fund (RAF) system. It intends to introduce a new no-fault based comprehensive social security scheme that would allow for expanded access to benefits for all road users.
The interim board Chairperson is Kenneth Brown and Nonhlanhla Mabusela-Aikhuere is the Vice-Chairperson. Other interim board members are as follows:
- Ntswaki Kutumela,
- Innocentia Mmule Pule,
- Richard Dyantyi,
- Mpontshane Alfred Mkhipheni,
- Alfredina (Ntina) Themba, and
- Neeshan Balton.
South African Airways
Cabinet has also approved the appointment of the Board of Directors for the South African Airways (SAA).
The Chairperson is Sedzani Faith Mudau who is a Chartered Accountant by profession and former SAA employee.
The Deputy Chairperson is Fathima Gany who served on the Interim Board which has just completed its term.
Other board members are the following:
- Theunis Potgieter.
- Mongezi India.
- Dennis Dlomo.
- Pamela Bulelwa Yako.
- Bongiwe Pityi.
- Dr Salome Chiloane-Nwabueza.
- Dr Prittish Dala.
- Lisa Mangcu.
- Bongiwe Mbomvu.
- Siphumelele Dlungwane.
- Advocate Johannes Collen Weapond.
“This team of men and women have collective experience in aviation, air services and airport administration; business, logistics and commercial operations; governance and public policy, law, tourism, security and financial administration and public accounts.
“The new board will lead an entity that is currently focused on stabilizing its operating model following a return to profitability over the last two years.
“The board will bolster SAA’s governance processes by improving responses to audit findings and ensuring that the airline’s financial independence is maintained,” the Minister said.
The Minister thanked the outgoing interim Board who led SAA from business-rescue exit in 2021 to becoming a stable flag carrier, operating seventeen routes, including three intercontinental city-pairs.
“We trust that the new board will use the debt-free balance sheet and ring-fenced liquidity to ensure a fleet expansion plan which lifts the SAA capacity from twenty to fifty-plus aircraft by 2030.
“To do this the shareholder expect the new board to embark on a capital-raising programme, supported by internally generated cash, operating leases and market funding, which enables fleet modernisation without new sovereign guarantees,” the Minister said. -SAnews.gov.za
