Collins Letsoalo, the former CEO of the Road Accident Fund (RAF), is facing allegations of misrepresenting his security clearance status during his tenure at the agency. A December 2021 letter from Letsoalo's office to the State Security Agency (SSA) claims that both Letsoalo and executive Mpho Manyasha held "top-secret" clearances. However, the letter does not specify who conducted their vetting or when it occurred, raising questions about the authenticity of these claims.

The SSA, the body responsible for conducting such vetting, reportedly had no record of having vetted Letsoalo or Manyasha. Furthermore, the Department of Transport, under which the RAF operates, was unaware of any vetting processes for Letsoalo and his family, nor the reported R10 million spent on their security.

The controversy has drawn attention from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), which is investigating the matter. Matome Lehomo, the former national security manager at the RAF, testified that he refused to sign the letter confirming the executives' clearance due to a lack of proof. The letter was eventually signed by Stephens Msiza, Letsoalo's head of security, who had previously worked at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and was a former bodyguard to Julius Malema.

This development comes amid ongoing investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) into allegations that Letsoalo interfered in a R79 million procurement process for the RAF's Johannesburg regional office building, raising concerns about irregular expenditure and disregard for supply chain management policies.

The lack of proper security clearance vetting for key executives in state-owned entities is a serious concern, as it undermines the integrity of procurement processes and poses potential risks to national security. The revelations about Letsoalo's alleged misrepresentation of his clearance status highlight the need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public institutions.