The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has signed acknowledgment of debts with law firms valued at R68-million and has recovered R18-million of this after it identified 102 firms that received duplicate payments of about R340-million. 

The law firms received duplicate payments as compensation fpr persons injured in motor vehicle accidents in South Africa.

The SIU stated that the law firms have made the decision against returning duplicate payments to the RAF and instead opted to keep the money in a trust or for personal use.

Proclamation R44 of 2021 “authorises the SIU to investigate compensation payments made by RAF to claimants or claimants’ agents, payments made by RAF in a manner that is contrary to the applicable legislations, and to recover financial losses suffered by the State or RAF”, the SIU explained.

Some legal practitioners have chosen to cooperate with the SIU investigation and have, in turn, committed to paying back the undue benefit with interest over an agreed period.

In ensuring the effective implementation of investigation outcomes and consequence management, the SIU is working closely with the Legal Practice Council and other law enforcement agencies.