Millions of poor victims of road accidents may never be compensated adequately under the latest Road Accident Fund (RAF) rulings.
Neither could motorists, who pump billions into the fund through levies on petrol.
So concerned are the South African Law Society and Association of Personal Injury Lawyers about the fund's latest rules - which come into effect on Friday - that they are considering bringing an urgent interdict.
A key point is that the fund is calling on injured people to deal directly with it, bypassing lawyers.
Without their specialised skills, however, lawyers say the man in the street will not get rightful compensation.
"By-passing the attorney means effectively eliminating the claimants," said Jenny Friedman, a Johannesburg lawyer who specialises in RAF-related cases.
She said specialists were vital to success of the claims.