About R35 million has been compensated by the Road Accident Fund to victims in the Nelson Mandela Bay.
Over 900 people in the metro have successfully submitted their claims and benefited from the scheme.
This as the Eastern Cape has the fourth highest fatalities in the country, with 59 people having lost their lives during the Easter holidays.
Transport minister, Blade Nzimande says they are in a process of amending the law to expedite the claim process for road accident victims.
A life changing day for some, sealing the wounds from the past, conditions will now improve drastically for some of these victims.
The Road Accident Fund releasing tons of millions to those critically injured in a road accident.
Accident victim Jerome Patterson says: “I am very happy today. I have received money to get myself equipment to make my life far easier. I now have a spacious house and an electronic wheelchair.”
The claiming process is a lengthy one, with some waiting over ten years to have it finalised.
Transport minister Blade Nzimande says: “We do take responsibility for the delay in the claims and we are trying to change the law. But we also have a problem of people not knowing how to do a proper claim and also lawyers who make this process lengthy so they could scoop more fees from the people. That is why we are now conducting road shows and calling on people.”
But the underlying problem is closely monitored. More measures have been put in place, to encourage safety on our roads.
Eastern Cape Transport MEC Weziwe TIkana says: “Most of our accidents are through moved loading, drunken driving, reckless drivers and it’s indeed a challenge, hence we have an interdisciplinary team, which constitute of our law enforcement officers.”
The road safety activation forms part of the long weekend period, covering Freedom Day and Worker’s Day celebrations.
At least seven people have been killed in two road crashes in the Eastern Cape since the start of the long weekend.
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