VZCZCXRO2904
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHTN #0045/01 0521002
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211002Z FEB 07
FM AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2183
INFO RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0089
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 5532
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 2944
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 1797
RUEANHA/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAPE TOWN 000045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FAA PASS TO MCINTRON, NANGELO 
DAKAR PASS TO FAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON ELTN SF
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CALLS ON MINISTER OF TRANSPORT TO 
DISCUSS FAA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: PRETORIA 0152 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  The Ambassador called on the Minister of 
Transport in Cape Town on February 8 to discuss the status 
of the FAA's technical assistance program to the South 
African Civil Aviation Authority.  The Ambassador asked for 
the Minister's assistance in obtaining passage of the 
necessary legislation to bring South Africa's civil 
aviation legislation into compliance with international 
standards.  The Minister acknowledged that transportation 
was an area of weakness, especially in view of the 
country's commitment to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010. 
The Ambassador responded that the USG wanted South Africa 
to succeed and noted that U.S. cities have experience in 
dealing with large athletic events.  The Economic Minister 
Counselor described the Schneider National trucking 
company's plans to bring South African truck drivers to the 
U.S. to train and work as long distance truck drivers 
before returning to South Africa.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Ambassador Bost called on Minister of Transport Jeff 
Radebe in Cape Town on February 8 to discuss the status of 
the FAA's technical assistance program to the South African 
Civil Aviation Authority.  The Minister was accompanied by 
Ministry of Transportation Special Advisor Dr. Ian 
Phillips.  Ambassador Bost was joined by the Economic 
Minister Counselor (notetaker) and a Political LES from the 
U.S. Consulate in Cape Town. 
 
------------------------ 
FAA Technical Assistance 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Ambassador Bost expressed his support for what the 
South African Government was trying to accomplish in 
improving the daily life of its citizens.  He then turned 
to the status of the FAA's technical assistance program 
with the South African Civil Aviation (CAA) Authority.  He 
noted that a great deal had been accomplished since the 
program began in September (see reftel) for the most recent 
Embassy update on this program).  Nevertheless, the CAA 
would need the Minister's assistance in obtaining passage 
of the necessary legislation to bring South Africa's civil 
aviation legislation into compliance with International 
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.  Note: The 
FAA recently provided the CAA with a list of short and 
long-term actions that it would need to take to consolidate 
five pieces of dated and sometimes conflicting legislation 
into a coherent piece or body of legislation.  End Note. 
 
¶4. (U) Minister Radebe appeared to have been well briefed 
by the CAA and acknowledged that the FAA assistance "had 
been a useful exercise to keep us on our toes."  He also 
understood that the CAA would need his assistance if the 
legislation was to be passed by the South African 
Parliament in a timely manner.  The Economic Minister 
Counselor also praised the current leadership of the CAA 
and emphasized the importance of CAA's cooperation to date. 
 
---------------- 
Skills Shortages 
---------------- 
 
¶5. (U)  Turning to broader transportation issues, the 
Minister acknowledged that transportation is an area of 
weakness for South Africa, especially in view of the 
country's commitment to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010. 
This will require a major investment in the Gautrain metro 
connecting Johannesburg and Pretoria (NOTE: the Gautrain is 
not currently scheduled for completion in time for the 
World Cup. END NOTE), passenger rail in other cities and 
public transportation in general.  South Africa also had a 
shortage of technical skills needed to complete these 
projects.  One of the problems in aviation is that black 
people had not been exposed to air transport during the 
previous government.  Thus, there is a shortage of 
qualified black people to fill the necessary positions in 
the aviation sector.  The FAA has identified a lack of 
technical skills in some areas (i.e., flight safety and 
operations) and the government is trying to address these 
shortages.  South Africa has fewer difficulties in air 
traffic control, but these individuals are being hired away 
with higher salaries to work in other countries. 
 
¶6. (U) The Ambassador responded that Deputy President 
 
CAPE TOWN 00000045  002 OF 002 
 
 
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka had discussed the country's need for 
skilled workers and the government's Joint Initiative on 
Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) in their meeting 
earlier that day.  He said the U.S. wants South Africa to 
succeed, especially in the run-up to the World Cup.  He 
added that many U.S. cities, such as Atlanta, have 
experience in dealing with large athletic events, and that 
it might be useful to consult with these cities. 
 
--------------------- 
The Schneider Project 
--------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) The Economic Minister Counselor described the 
Schneider National trucking company's Heavy Commercial 
Vehicle Professional Driver Education and Training Project 
that it is negotiating with the South African Transport 
Education and Training Authority (TETA).  Under the 
proposed program, Schneider would bring 240 to 300 South 
African truck drivers to the U.S. per year for the next 
five years.  These drivers would come to the U.S. for two 
years to receive training, drive long distance trucks for 
Schneider, and complete a one-year certificate in working 
as a mid-level manager for a large trucking company or 
starting a small trucking company at the Fox Valley 
Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin.  At the end of 
the two-year period, the truck drivers would return to 
South Africa to work for existing long distance trucking 
companies or start their own companies.  The objective is 
that these drivers would use their experience in the U.S. 
to transform the way long distance trucking is performed in 
South Africa.  This program could also be extended to 
neighboring countries with similar results.  The first 
group of 80-100 truck drivers is targeted to leave for the 
U.S. in August 2008.  The program would represent a major 
skills acquisition program for the South African trucking 
industry at no cost to either government.  Minister Radebe 
expressed interest in the program and the Economic Minister 
Counselor agreed to send a project description to Special 
Advisor Phillips after the meeting.  The material was sent 
on February 14. 
 
¶8. (U)  Comment.  The U.S. Trade and Development 
Administration (TDA) funded a successful January 2007 visit 
to the U.S. for a delegation of South African officials 
focusing on transportation planning for the FIFA World Cup 
in 2010 and long term transportation master planning.  The 
Department of Transportation-led delegation met with 
planning committees and private companies that had been 
involved in the planning and organization of the Olympic 
games in Atlanta and Salt Lake City and the FIFA World Cup 
in Los Angeles.  TDA has also been working with the 
Department of Transportation, the Department of Public 
Enterprises and Transnet to find areas where the U.S. can 
offer technical assistance to support the government's 
plans to transition Transnet to a mainline railway operator 
and bring the private sector in to run the branch lines. 
End Comment. 
 
BERRY