By Simon Nare
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has resolved to request the Secretary to Parliament to lay criminal charges against former Road Accident Fund (RAF) chief executive officer Collins Letsoalo after he repeatedly failed to appear before an oversight inquiry examining his role in the agency’s financial management.
The decision follows Letsoalo’s failure to comply with a summons issued in November 2025 requiring him to testify before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA).
Despite an undertaking through his legal representatives, he did not attend the hearings.
SCOPA was subsequently forced to conclude its inquiry without hearing testimony from Letsoalo, whom the committee regarded as a key witness.
As a result, he was not afforded an opportunity to respond to allegations made against him by current and former RAF employees who appeared before the committee.
In a statement on Wednesday, SCOPA said it had previously resolved to pursue criminal charges but had sought the concurrence of National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza before proceeding.
“The Speaker has now responded to the committee, indicating that her concurrence is not required in terms of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act (PPIPPLA),” the committee said.
“She further advised that should the committee still wish to proceed with laying criminal charges, it should request the Secretary to Parliament to lay the charge on its behalf.”
Following the Speaker’s response, the committee again voted on the matter, with eight members supporting the move and three opposing it.
SCOPA said Section 17(1) of the PPIPPLA provides that a person who has been duly summoned under Section 14 and fails, without sufficient cause, to attend at the specified time and place commits an offence and may be liable to a fine, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.
Committee chairperson Songezo Zibi is expected to formally communicate the committee’s decision to the Secretary to Parliament and request that criminal charges be instituted.
Letsoalo was scheduled to appear before SCOPA over two days in late November 2025.
The committee said multiple attempts were made to secure his attendance, including efforts by the committee secretary and the service of summonses at his residence and electronically, but he failed to appear.
In an interview with the SABC shortly afterwards, Letsoalo said he would not appear before SCOPA, describing the proceedings as a “kangaroo court”.
Letsoalo was placed on precautionary suspension in May 2025 amid scrutiny over a R79 million office lease and other contracts flagged by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which is investigating allegations of corruption and maladministration at the RAF.
He has denied wrongdoing and previously described aspects of the SIU investigation as a “fishing expedition”.
His contract as RAF chief executive expired in August 2025 and was not renewed.
Among the allegations heard by the committee were claims that Letsoalo sought an armoured BMW valued at more than R4 million and increased his security detail from three to nine bodyguards without a formal threat assessment, significantly raising security costs.
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