The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is finalising an investigation into fraudulent medical certificates issued by a former Designated Aviation Medical Examiner (DAME), forcing aviation personnel to be reassessed and certified.
Inside SAA, only one pilot and two cabin crew are affected and will have to be re-examined and re-certified, according to the airline.
The SACAA and SAA are investigating Dr Nhlanhla Sishaba, former SAA Chief Medical Officer and the former DAME, for conducting medical examinations and certifying aviation personnel, including pilots, air traffic controllers, cabin crew and flight engineers. SACAA said Sishaba’s designation expired on March 31, 2024, and was not renewed because she had received a penalty for non-compliance.
“We view these allegations in a very serious light as they have a direct impact on the ability of aviation personnel to perform their duties in a safe manner as prescribed by the Civil Aviation Regulations. South Africa’s aviation sector boasts an exemplary safety record, with no fatal accidents in the scheduled airline sector in nearly forty years,” Poppy Khoza, Director of Civil Aviation said in a SACAA statement on September 10.
Now, all personnel who received medical fitness certification from Sishaba must present themselves for re-examination and recertification by a current and valid DAME by September 25.
On September 11, SAA assured its customers and the public that the investigation and recertifications would not impact the airline's operations.
"After a thorough assessment of SAA personnel who were examined and issued with medical fitness certificates by Dr Sishaba, it has been established that only two cabin crew members and one pilot have been negatively affected... They will be medically recertified by the end of September as directed by both SAA internal processes and SACAA," said SAA's statement.
SAA had already announced its immediate suspension of Sishaba, pending the completion of the investigations.
“SAA’s most precious asset is its impeccable safety record. In our industry, the maintenance of the highest culture of safety is non-negotiable, and at SAA we have zero tolerance for any violation of aviation safety regulations in our working environment," said SAA Interim Chief Executive Officer John Lamola.
