Bandile Afrika Mbere, a member of award-winning house music duo Major League DJz, has scored a major financial victory after the Johannesburg High Court ordered the Road Accident Fund (RAF) to pay him more than R7.3 million for loss of earnings.
Africa Daily can exclusively reveal that the judgment follows a legal battle stemming from a motor vehicle accident that occurred nearly five years ago.
The court ordered the RAF to pay Mbere R7 385 739.20 for loss of earnings after finding the state-owned entity 100% liable for his proven or agreed damages.
In the order, handed down by Acting Judge Muvhango Lukhaimane on 11 September 2025, the court further directed the RAF to provide an undertaking in terms of the Road Accident Fund Act, covering qualifying future medical and related expenses arising from the injuries Mbere sustained in the collision.
“The defendant is 100% liable for the plaintiffs proven and or agreed damages,” reads the judgment.
The undertaking requires the RAF to cover 100% of the costs of future hospital or nursing home accommodation, medical treatment, services rendered and goods supplied as a result of Mbere’s injuries, based on the expert reports submitted on his behalf.
The order states that these expenses will be paid “after such costs have been incurred and upon proof thereof”.
The court also ordered the RAF to pay the judgment amount within 14 days of the date of judgment, with interest at the prescribed rate running from the date of judgment until payment.
However, Mbere’s claims for past medical expenses and general damages remain unresolved after the court postponed these issues sine die, meaning no further hearing date was set in the order.
In court papers seen by Africa Daily, Mbere said he sustained injuries that affected his ability to earn an income after being involved in a collision near Bronkhorstspruit on 11 December 2020.
He alleged that an unidentified driver had negligently and recklessly collided with his vehicle, claiming the driver had failed to keep a proper lookout and was speeding.
“He [also] failed to apply the brakes timeously or at all. He failed to avoid a collision when, by the exercise of reasonable care and skill, he could and should have done so,” the court papers state.
“He failed to have any, alternatively, sufficient due regard to the rights of other road users and more in particular the rights of the people who are passenger [sic].”
Mbere said he sustained a fracture to his knee and an injury to his right knee ligament as a result of the accident.
He further claimed that he had experienced significant pain, suffering and psychological trauma during the collision and after receiving treatment.
In his initial claim, Mbere sought more than R3.3 million in damages, comprising R900,000 for general damages, R50,000 for emergency medical treatment and R2.4 million for past and future loss of income.
“The defendant is in the premise, indebted to the plaintiff in the amount of R3 350 000, which amount or any portion thereof the defendant has failed or refused to pay,” the papers state.
It appears Mbere amended the quantum to more than R7.3 million.
In its answering affidavit, the RAF repudiated his claim and argued that compensation for non-pecuniary loss, including pain and suffering, was limited to cases involving serious injuries as determined in terms of the applicable regulations.
The fund said claimants seeking such compensation were required to undergo an assessment by a medical practitioner and obtain a serious injury assessment report setting out the nature and degree of their injuries.
The RAF further argued that Mbere had failed to submit the required report and that his alleged injuries had not been finally determined to qualify as serious under its regulations.
“Accordingly, the defendant is not obliged to compensate the plaintiff for non-pecuniary loss as alleged or at all,” the papers state.
