The Portfolio Committee on Transport would like to correct the narrative that the draft Road Accident Benefit Scheme (Rabs) Bill seeks to do away with the use of lawyers when road accident victims submit claims for compensation.

What the Rabs Bill seeks to do is to give the victims of road accidents the option of claiming through a scheme administrator, rather than a lawyer. This will enable the public to avoid relying on lawyers.

The committee assures the public that the legislation is not going to outlaw the use of lawyers by road accident victims. It simply provides a choice for road accident victims to make direct claims or use lawyers.

The bill seeks to replace the Road Accident Fund Act; to improve the administration of benefits and payouts to accident victims; to provide for a social security scheme for the victims of road accidents; and to establish the Rabs Administrator to administer and implement the scheme.
 
Today, the committee held public hearings on the bill in Welkom in Free State, where the bill continued to receive mixed reactions from various sectors of society. The next public hearings will be held tomorrow in the Northern Cape.
 
Details for the Northern Cape public hearings:
Date: Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Venue: Kimberley Town Hall, Frances Baard District Municipality
Time: 10:00 – 13:00

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sakhile Mokoena
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 2804
Cell: 081 705 2130
E-mail: smokoena@parliament.gov.za