R15 million meant for 11 RAF accident victims allegedly squandered by attorney, court told

A disbarred Gauteng attorney has appeared in court on charges of theft and fraud involving R15 million allegedly stolen from a trust fund meant for Road Accident Fund (RAF) claimants.

David Mashudu Netsitungulu, 48, appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds paid out to 11 accident victims.

According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, Netsitungulu allegedly submitted claims to the Road Accident Fund between January 2016 and December 2020 while practicing as an attorney, before he was later disbarred.

The Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund reported that the RAF paid about R15 million into the trust account of Netshitungulu Attorneys. However, none of the 11 victims allegedly received their money.

“The suspect is alleged to have diverted the funds for his own use instead of paying the victims he represented,” said Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela.

Netsitungulu was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit on Thursday and made his first court appearance on the same day.

He was granted bail of R20,000.

The case was postponed to March 3, 2026, for further proceedings.

Last year, IOL reported that Mpumalanga attorney Jo-Anne Mantladi Mmela, who went on the run after siphoning off millions in RAF payouts, was sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment.

Mmela, 44, was sentenced by the Middelburg Serious Commercial Crimes Court on four counts of theft of RAF money.

According to the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Mmela’s crimes involved close to R3.5 million stolen from four different victims, including a child who had been severely injured in an accident.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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