Exploring Road Accident Fund’s corporate social responsibility and investment in KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

It is over two decades since the election of a free democratic government in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). However, despite many strategies and policies adopted by government, SA remains economically and socially fragmented, where the first and fourth worlds coexist (Babarinde, 2009). Because RSA faces challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, CSR is well poised to contribute to social upliftment where the quality of life of ordinary citizens may be improved. This study argues that CSR is a critical catalyst for social change and social change in SA. However, there is a dearth of literature on the nature of CSR in public entities like the RAF, meaning that CSR in RSA has mostly focused only on CSR within the business sector that is why it is important to close the gap through this study. The aim of this study was to explore the Road Accident Fund’s corporate social responsibility and investment in KwaZulu-Natal. This is a qualitative study undertaken through the social constructivist paradigm. The sample size is 15 participants. The sampling method used to select participants is purposive sampling. Data was collected utilising telephone interviews in line with COVID-19 pandemic protocols. Thematic data analysis was utilised to analyse data. The findings are discussed and categorised under the following themes: Promotion of human dignity and human rights; Focus on health, education, skills development and special projects; Gate-keepers and limited CSR budget as a challenge and limited monitoring and evaluation focus. This study hopes to contribute to CSR literature and practice in South African public entities.