MVA Fund eyes boosting N$7 000 funeral grant

The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund has put its outdated N$7 000 funeral grant at the centre of nationwide consultations, pairing the benefit review with plans to overhaul its dated public-facing app.Speaking in Rundu last Friday, head of corporate communications Jethro Kwenani said the 2007 law no longer reflects current realities and must be refined with input from communities across all 14 regions.Kwenani framed the N$7 000 grant as a clear example of how costs have outpaced the Act.“In 2007, N$7 000 was significant. Today it barely covers essentials,” he admitted, referring to a recent fatal crash between Mariental and Kalkrand that brought into sharp focus the gap between current benefit levels and actual funeral costs in 2025.The fund is testing public appetite for an increase and how best to structure it without undermining long-term sustainability.The consultations took place in Kavango East and West as the second-to-last stop before Windhoek.After the final leg, the public may still submit written inputs until the end of September, Kwenani explained.He said the aim is to give everyone a chance to provide input – to listen to the "voice of the voiceless” – rather than impose changes from the top, with the fund demonstrating the current provisions and its proposed amendments side by side for scrutiny.Changes under considerationBeyond the funeral grant, the review touches several pressure points.One is how the Act treats passengers carried on bakkies.A draft approach would reduce payouts in certain cases, but communities argue that bakkies remain the only viable transport in much of rural Namibia and should not trigger reduced benefits.Officials are also testing views on whether to adjust the fuel levy that finances benefits, making the case that any change must balance fairness today with the fund’s health for future generations.Modern tech, survivor supportKwenani said the fund plans to modernise how the public accesses information and tracks claims by revamping its legacy mobile and web app, aligning the technology upgrade with the legal overhaul so that new rules are clearly communicated and easier to navigate.“The point is not just to change amounts,” Kwenani said. “It’s to make the Act responsive, fair and sustainable, backed by tools that actually work for people.”Rules around dependency and loss of support are also under the microscope.Questions include the age limit for dependants, how long educational support should continue, and what happens when a dependant fails or pursues multiple qualifications. The consultations are gathering concrete suggestions on these “small modalities” to shape a more precise and predictable framework.

MVA Fund eyes boosting N$7 000 funeral grant

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-09

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MVA Fund eyes boosting N$7 000 funeral grant

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-09

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