No quorum for National Assembly vote on road accident bill
All opposition parties rejected the proposed no-fault system, which they say will result in extreme hardship for road-accident victims
A vote on the controversial Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill, which provides for a new system of compensation for road-accident victims, was postponed by the National Assembly on Tuesday evening because there was no quorum in the house. DA MPs left the house before the call for the vote and ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu had to ask for a postponement of the vote. The bill was unanimously rejected by all opposition parties on the grounds that the new system would result in extreme hardship for road-accident victims. Opposition MPs warned that the fuel levy would have to be increased substantially to fund the new system. The bill will replace the fault-based system of compensation currently in use by the technically insolvent Road Accident Fund, with a no-fault system. Proponents of the proposed new benefit scheme argue that it will cut out long and costly litigation as it will not be necessary to prove the fault of a third party to be compensated by the fund. Transport minister Blad...
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