EWN reports that the new board of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has come in for harsh criticism from members of Parliament’s Transport Portfolio Committee for suspending four executives just days before they were due to appear before the committee to explain the fund’s latest financial statements.

Some MPs said it appeared that Friday’s suspensions, which included the chief financial officer, were a deliberate move to shield them from accountability after the institution reported a deficit of R2.3 billion for the last financial year. However, the RAF board chairperson, Kenneth Brown said the board would have been derelict in its duty if it had not acted when it did, given the maladministration uncovered. On Friday, the RAF announced the precautionary suspensions of four top executives – including its acting CEO – to allow unhindered investigations. Slammed by MPs over the timing, Brown said the suspensions were a long time coming after the new board began uncovering what he has termed “egregious acts”.

• Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Lindsay Dentlinger at EWN

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