The R142-million corruption investigation against the Road Accident Fund’s (RAF) panel of lawyers has been transferred to the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) after nearly nine months of apparent police inaction, despite a forensic report and corroborating evidence.
Serious questions remain, however, over what happened to the investigation after the RAF opened a criminal case at Lyttleton police station in Pretoria on November 20, 2025.
For months, the fund followed up with police on the status of the case. By August, it escalated the matter to Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Tommy Mthombeni, warning that an investigation had apparently not started.
“Based on the follow-ups made, the CAS 508/11/2025 investigation has not been initiated,” the RAF said in correspondence dated August 12. It said that after nearly nine months, “no progress has been made by police”.
Even physical files containing primary evidence had not been collected. The RAF warned that leaving them outside police custody created a risk of evidence tampering that could compromise the investigation.
The RAF asked Mthombeni to investigate the delay, intervene to expedite the case and consider establishing a dedicated police team to investigate RAF corruption. The (acting) police minister and national police commissioner were listed among the recipients copied on the correspondence.
The RAF has confirmed to Sunday World that it opened the case and provided police with supporting documents. It also confirmed writing to Mthombeni but declined to discuss the investigation further because of its sensitive nature.
Police Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said the ministry had no record of the correspondence from the RAF.
Sunday World encountered its own run-around while attempting to establish what had become of the investigation. Questions were first submitted to the SAPS on August 20.
Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the National Anti-Corruption Unit was investigating the case and referred questions to national SAPS spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe.
After further referrals, Lt- Col Amanda van Wyk checked with the National Anti-Corruption Unit and established that the docket was instead being investigated by the Hawks.
The underlying forensic report reveals the gravity of the allegations.
The investigation arose from an RAF bid for a five-year Corporate Panel of Attorneys.
In September 2023, attorney Collin Sebatjane reported receiving a call from an “Adv Makola”, who allegedly demanded R30 000 to ensure his firm’s tender application went smoothly. He allegedly demanded R15 000 upfront, to be deposited into a TymeBank account. He said he knew the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) was meeting that afternoon.
A RAF investigator contacted the SAPS Anti-Corruption Unit and preparations began to seek National Prosecuting Authority approval for an entrapment operation.
The sting never happened.
The forensic investigation concluded that three senior RAF executives interfered with or stopped the investigation and failed to report suspected corruption as required by law.
The three later participated in the Bid Adjudication Committee without disclosing the corruption allegations or recusing themselves, the report found.
Investigators also homed in on law firm Madiba & Co. The report concluded that the firm was unfairly awarded a contract despite shortcomings.
“This was clear favouritism, inconsistency and non-compliance with the application of the bid evaluation conditions,” investigators found.
Reference letters submitted by Madiba & Co related to work director Terence Madiba had performed while employed by law firm Mpoyana Ledwaba Inc, investigators found.
Two BEC members said the references should not have been considered.
Investigators also found RAF reference letters among Madiba & Co’s tender documents signed by an RAF executive after the tender was advertised, which the report regarded as a conflict of interest.
Madiba & Co ultimately received 143 work allocations and was paid about R16-million.
The forensic investigation concluded that the Corporate Panel of Attorneys was irregular because the procurement process had been compromised. It recommended that R142.4-million paid to panel firms be recorded as irregular expenditure.
It also recommended that the Madiba & Co procurement findings be added to the criminal docket and that investigators obtain the firm’s trust-account records to determine whether any funds were used as gratification for RAF officials.
Sunday World sent Madiba & Co detailed questions about the matter. The firm had not responded by deadline.
- The R142-million corruption investigation involving the Road Accident Fund's panel of lawyers was transferred to the Hawks after nearly nine months of police inaction.
- The RAF opened a criminal case at Lyttleton police station on November 20, 2025, and repeatedly followed up on the investigation's status without progress.
- A forensic report found that three senior RAF executives interfered with or halted the investigation and that the law firm Madiba & Co was unfairly awarded contracts amid irregularities.
- Madiba & Co received 143 work allocations totaling about R16-million despite findings of favoritism, conflict of interest, and non-compliance with bid conditions.
- The forensic investigation recommended recording R142.4-million paid to panel firms as irregular expenditure and adding Madiba & Co's procurement findings to the criminal docket for further investigation.
Serious questions remain, however, over what happened to the investigation after the RAF opened a criminal case at Lyttleton police station in Pretoria on
For months, the fund followed up with police on the status of the case. By August, it escalated the matter to
“Based on the follow-ups made, the CAS 508/11/2025 investigation has not been initiated,” the RAF said in correspondence dated August 12. It said that after nearly nine months, “no progress has been made by police”.
Even physical files containing primary evidence had not been collected.
Police Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said the ministry had no record of the correspondence from the RAF.
After further referrals, Lt- Col
In
A RAF investigator contacted the SAPS Anti-Corruption Unit and preparations began to seek National
Investigators also homed in on law firm Madiba & Co.
“
Reference letters submitted by Madiba & Co related to work director Terence Madiba had performed while employed by law firm Mpoyana Ledwaba Inc, investigators found.
Two BEC members said the references should not have been considered.
Investigators also found RAF reference letters among Madiba & Co’s tender documents signed by an RAF executive after the tender was advertised, which the report regarded as a conflict of interest.
Madiba & Co ultimately received 143 work allocations and was paid about R16-million.
It also recommended that the Madiba & Co procurement findings be added to the criminal docket and that investigators obtain the firm’s trust-account records to determine whether any funds were used as gratification for RAF officials.
The person at the centre of this is Richard Machete- kicks backs for keeping most litigation ongoing on disciples cases. He was mentioned by many panel firms as being their friend