Months of missed audits, vanishing executives and R340bn in liabilities have finally triggered action -- Parliament is launching only its fourth full public accounts inquiry since 1994, into the Road Accident Fund.

Months of missed audits, vanishing executives and R340bn in liabilities have finally triggered action -- Parliament is launching only its fourth full public accounts inquiry since 1994, into the Road Accident Fund.

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) will now find itself the subject of a rare full committee inquiry by Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) after months of failed document submissions and non-compliance by its board and executives. But beyond the scandal lies a deeper governance signal.

"This decision follows months of repeated attempts by the committee to obtain truthful, complete information from the RAF Board and executive management to little avail," reads the 24 June statement. The release also cites reckless financial management, governance failures and whistle-blower reports of supply chain irregularities.

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While the list of issues reads like a litany, the very act of invoking Scopa's highest oversight mechanism can be interpreted as a positive shift in parliamentary accountability.

"Scopa is doing the work it's meant to do," said Dr Ivor Chipkin, governance expert and executive director of the New South Institute.

"It's checking whether public money has been properly used, whether processes were followed... That is good governance."

Inquiry 'long overdue'

Only three other full...