Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) will issue a summons to former Road Accident Fund CEO Collins Letsoalo after he repeatedly failed to appear before it to account for the fund’s financial and governance failures.
Committee chair Songezo Zibi said the resolution followed advice from Fatima Ebrahim, parliament’s legal adviser that Letsoalo had ignored a final letter offering him the opportunity to appear voluntarily.
Zibi confirmed he would write to National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza to seek her concurrence before the summons is formally issued.
In terms of the Powers, Privileges & Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, once the summons is served by the secretary to parliament, Letsoalo will be legally obliged to testify under oath.
“The information the committee seeks is within Mr Letsoalo’s personal knowledge and cannot be obtained by other means,” Zibi said. He added that several witnesses had made allegations that fairness required Letsoalo be given an opportunity to respond.
The RAF, established under the Road Accident Fund Act to compensate victims of road crashes, has been the subject of sustained parliamentary scrutiny. The auditor‑general has issued repeated disclaimers of opinion on its financial statements, citing irregular accounting practices and unresolved liabilities.
According to the most recent audited figures, the fund’s liabilities exceed its assets by a wide margin, raising concerns about its solvency.
Scopa has heard testimony from current and former executives, as well as external auditors, on procurement irregularities, accounting policy disputes and the impact of regulatory changes on claims processing.
Several witnesses have directly implicated Letsoalo in procurement and financial decisions taken during his tenure as CEO.
The inquiry has also examined the RAF’s controversial shift in accounting policy, which diverged from established practice and was criticised by external advisers and the auditor‑general.
Testimony before the committee suggested that this change contributed to the understatement of liabilities and prolonged disputes with oversight bodies.
In addition, questions have been raised about the implementation of board notices that altered claims procedures despite adverse court rulings.
Zibi has repeatedly emphasised that the committee’s work is not only about financial oversight but also about the human consequences of institutional failure.
“A broken RAF means people stranded between injury and dignity,” he said in an earlier interview, warning that the fund’s current model is unsustainable and that reform is unavoidable if fairness to claimants is to be restored.
Section 56 of the constitution empowers the National Assembly and its committees to summon any person to appear before them to give evidence or produce documents.
Failure to comply with a summons issued under the 2004 act constitutes an offence, exposing the individual to possible fines or imprisonment.
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