RAF hits back at SA's funeral industry

Families of accident victims are not obligated to use the Road Accident Fund's panel of undertakers‚ the fund said on Tuesday.

RAF chief marketing officer Phumelela Dhlomo was speaking after the National Funeral Practitioners Association of South Africa last week claimed that the fund denied families the right to choose their own funeral parlours.

"This is inaccurate because a family has at all times had the option to use a funeral parlour of their choice‚ including one not on the panel‚" he said.

"In this instance‚ the funeral parlour's services must then be paid by the family before a claim can be lodged with the RAF. At no point does the RAF discredit any parlours that are not on its panel." At the Funeral Indaba in Durban last week‚ the association said cash-strapped funeral parlours were shutting their doors as the RAF did not pay claims to undertakers outside its appointed panel.

However‚ on Tuesday‚ Dhlomo said that the fund did make direct payments to funeral parlours outside of its panel.

"Should the family not accept the fund's panel service‚ they may use their own funeral parlour‚ in which case they must pay the funeral parlour and claim the cost back from the RAF."

He said the fund was forced to appoint the panel of 24 funeral parlours as the previous system was open to abuse.

"A lack of a service level agreement with funeral parlours also meant standards could not be enforced and several instances were reported of sub-standard services being provided‚" he said.

"Another drawback of the lack of a service level agreement was that the RAF had no certainty over the cost of these funerals."

The fund pays for transport of the body‚ the coffin or burial shroud‚ mortuary services‚ the death certificate‚ burial or cremation‚ equipment used to lower the coffin into the grave and grave fees.

It does not cover catering‚ flowers‚ tombstones‚ family transport and funeral programmes.

Dhlomo rubbished the association's claim that the panel was unfairly appointed.

"The tender was sound and internal controls were tested by auditors‚" he said.

He said funeral parlours have raised their concerns with the RAF.

"Consultations are on-going; their concerns and suggestions are being taken on board and the input is being considered."