AFTER waiting for more than 20 years for her husband and daughter’s Road Accident Fund payout, Bertina Mjoli got the shock of her life.
Bertina, who’s from Harding in southern KZN, couldn’t believe what she was hearing when she was told the fund had made the payout in 1998 to the lawyer who assisted her.
The lawyer is nowhere to be found.
According to documents seen by Daily Sun, an amount of R103 000 was paid for the death of her husband Lawrence (45), and R7 500 for her daughter Silvinia (12).
Bertina’s husband and daughter were killed in a car accident in 1995.
She said her husband worked in Joburg and supported her and their three children.
“When I went to the lawyer’s offices in Port Shepstone last year, I was told he no longer worked there,” she said.
“I called him on his cellphone, but the number was no longer working.”
KZN police spokeswoman Captain Nqobile Gwala said a case of fraud was being investigated by police in Port Shepstone.
Linda Rulashe, the fund’s spokeswoman, said once they made a payment to the lawyer, they were not obligated to follow up on the matter.
She advised Bertina to lodge a complaint with the provincial
law society.
Pearl Mfusi, a spokeswoman for the KZN Law Society, said the lawyer was struck off the roll in 2008.
Mfusi promised to help Bertina file a complaint against the lawyer with the Attorneys Fidelity Fund.