MEMBERS of Parliament say accident victims deserve to know when they can expect their payouts from the Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA) Fund, as many have been left to fend for themselves and constantly ask for handouts from the legislators.
This was shared by MPs during the debate of a motion regarding the continued delays by the MVA Fund in making payments to road accident victims, as these delays cause both financial and emotional strain. Zombodze Emuva MP Ntando Mkhonta said people from his constituency had asked him to raise the motion, as many who were injured and left disabled in road accidents across the country had not been compensated. He said the MVA Fund was authorised to collect a levy from every litre of petrol to ensure that those injured in road accidents could be compensated.
He said he wished for all those injured to be compensated, noting that there were still many who had not received any payments. He added that some people had visited MVA offices for the past three months without success.
“The staff also tries to assist them but gets tired along the way. We want to know what causes the delays in compensating these people. We want to know how many people have registered and how many have been paid. There are people who are still unpaid to date, and MVA is not helping them,” he said. Mkhonta added that the nation needed to regain its trust in the MVA Fund as the main collector of the fuel levy. He stressed that while they were not against the MVA, the entity needed to account for the money it collected. He asked how long beneficiaries were expected to wait for their claims to be processed and paid out, saying some people had lost hope since nothing was being communicated about their payouts.
“We want the nation to know where their money is stuck. These delays have many disadvantages, as people can no longer afford medication and others are dying,” he said. Phondo MP Bonginkosi Dube said the motion came directly from the people, highlighting grievances that some accident victims had been left disabled and unable to afford medical care. He said the fund should make it easier for people to track the progress of their claims so that they do not have to travel long distances to check.
He added that beneficiaries should be given clear timelines for when they could expect payment, as people needed to understand the duration of the process. Mhlambanyatsi MP Dr Bonginkhosi Dlamini supported the mover and seconder, highlighting the case of two women who were hit by a bus and left their children behind. He said the children had since become his responsibility as the women were still waiting for their payouts.
“It should be easy to claim as it is to deduct the money from the levy,” he said. Timphisini MP Thulani Nsingwane said there were many locals who had been injured on the roads and later neglected by the MVA Fund, forcing them to pay their own medical expenses.
“This is painful because the fund collects money every day. There is someone in my constituency who was hit by a car but denied a payout because it was classified as a hit-and-run. That person now has to wake up every day and ask for help from their MP,” he said. Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg said he would engage the MVA Fund officials and brings to Parliament the responses.
