Attorney Michael de Broglio on: South Africa, Law, Politics, Attorneys, Sport, Photography, Technology, Gadgets, Media, Crime, Road Accidents Fund,
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Claims may be validly lodged on the Road Accident Fund either by delivery to their offices, or via registered post. Generally, to avoid any disputes about whether the post was received or not, we hand deliver our lodgements to the Road Accident Fund. It has amazed me, over the years, on how many days the Road Accident Fund’s branches have been closed and they have refused to receive documents. One cannot get into the branch and the security guards simply turn one away and refuse one access to serve documents. Bear in mind of course that claims can prescribe after two years in a hit and run case or three years in a normal case, and you have to lodge before a certain date in all cases.
One would think that an institution, which by an Act of Parliament allows you to serve documents on it, would really be open on every day of the week, but at least be open from Monday to Friday. To arrive at their premises at 12.30pm on a Friday afternoon and to be told that they are having a 16th birthday party and the branch is closed and have your staff turned away and prevented from lodging the claim, is actually more serious than they may believe. The same applies to Christmas parties over the years, and a variety of other occasions when the offices have been closed or the security guards simply chase one away in trying to deliver documents.
Trying to phone and speak to senior management does not help at that time – the phones are simply not answered, although by the Monday they did indeed confirm that they had been closed for that reason and we must simply bring the all the documents we wanted to lodge. No real harm was done, other than the clients’ cases being delayed over a weekend, ultimately meaning that it will take another three days before they are resolved, but the approach is simply not good enough. If one is entitled to lodge on the Road Accident Fund, there should always be an officer who is available to receive those documents from you Monday to Friday, every day of the year and not be told that it is Christmas party time, 16th birthday party time or any of the numerous special events that seem to take place when they celebrate new projects of campaigns. This must have happened to me more than a dozen times over the years and in one case, where the client had approached us late and it was almost prescribing, we then had to drive to the Post Office to lodge the claim by registered post – and that really should not be necessary.
Posted by Michael de Broglio on Wednesday 05-Jun-13
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Comments
Lucretia said:
on Thursday 13-Jun-13 03:21 PM
This is Africa. Need one say more about a government department. If you need to get your hackles up, go to any government department. Government departments and incompetence go hand-in-glove.
Henrietta said:
on Tuesday 11-Jun-13 08:51 AM
I agree with Cornelie and Ashleigh. It really is bad the way our government are treating us. But I guess you just have to get used to it.
Cornelie said:
on Tuesday 11-Jun-13 07:08 AM
The RAF is quick if they want something from you but it is easy for them to just have fun and have a party and then you must wait for days before you get any results and that goes for any government organisation.
Alexis said:
on Friday 07-Jun-13 07:42 AM
There is a job to be done and when wanting to organise a party, do it at a reasonable time and place so others are not inconvenienced - I do understand that you as an individual need the break - but think about others as well
Ashleigh said:
on Thursday 06-Jun-13 09:01 AM
I prepare myself for irritation with anything that's run by the government. Going to a post office is a mission and a half, I try stay clear but when I do go I always put in a complaint about something. When I go back again, nothing changes. So you have to get used to not having any client service delivery anymore. People have given up on complaining too.
Sinead said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 03:51 PM
I tried calling the Friday that they were 'closed for celebration' and there was no-one that answered. When I called the next week, they told me that all their RAF offices were closed for their 16th Birthday. I do find it ridiculous because we had lodgements and what were we to do if there were prescribing matters?? They need to forewarn us when they plan to close
Kaylee said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 02:09 PM
Just another stereotypical state run department, a let down for RSA
Julie said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 01:46 PM
It doesn't come as a surprise - it's like a flee bite - it itches and burns and you have no way to get rid of it.
I phoned the SAPS once for an OAR and the officer actually asked me if I am aware that it is "Mandela Day" - no one is available. Well....
What affects us most is that there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.
Juliet said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 01:44 PM
The only thing the government has got right is Nkandla. At least one South African benefited.
Sorea said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 12:48 PM
Isn't it illegal to hire somebody under the age of 16? Do they then have these parties to celebrate the legality of the employment contract? Or are the RAF offices now being hired out as a venue? Huh ....
On a more serious note though: It has become an almost accepted norm for the governmental departments/institutions to be incompetent. They do not care about the inconvenience caused, because they are the government, damn you and the government is the be-all and end-all of power! pfft ...
moenisha said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 12:43 PM
Maybe they should work on a skeleton staff, after all they are a very big concern-just a thought
Benita said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 12:42 PM
Nothing surprises me anymore in SA
Thabitha said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 12:39 PM
I think they must notify people on time if they are closing their office for some reasons, on the other hand its not fair for companies and clients.
Cherise said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 12:30 PM
I think that is just unacceptable to stop a company from running on specific special occasions, because as you have explained it causes a ripple effect for firms and the clients claim process.
There was also a stage that the RAF went through of not answering their calls at all after 12:00pm on a Friday. I see this has changed.
Lets hope for more positive change to come in the future.
david said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 12:28 PM
we should be more grateful of the road accident fund. without them, otherwise completely unemployable people, would be without work, living off the state's handouts, and probably committing crime. viva RAF, viva!!!
Angelique said:
on Wednesday 05-Jun-13 09:17 AM
It's rather annoying when this happens, especially if you wasted your time driving all the way from Johannesburg to Pretoria RAF to lodge claims. I think it should be a requirement that should they be closing for any given reason that they should send out notice - its only fair. That way people wouldn't have to jump around and waste their time or money going somewhere only to be turned away.
Johannesburg based attorney specializing in personal injury matters including Road Accident Fund claims and medical negligence matters. My interests include golf, reading and the internet and the way it is constantly developing. I have a passion for life and a desire for less stress!
