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DE RUEHSA #3102/01 2480440
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
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FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1527
INFO RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1326
RUEANHA/FAA WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 003102 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EEB/TRA JREIFMAN 
FAA FOR MCINTRON, NANGELO 
DAKAR FOR FAA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2017 
TAGS: AORC EAIR FAA PREL ICAO SF
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA SCRAMBLES TO AVOID CATEGORY II STATUS 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Donald Teitelbaum for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. Economic Counselor and Transportation Officer 
recently met with South African Civil Aviation Authority 
(SACAA) CEO Zakes Myeza and his team to discuss the FAA audit 
process.  Myeza sought to find out what the potential 
"showstoppers" would be in terms of retaining Category I 
status.  The results of the audit indicated deficiencies in 
six of eight areas.  However, the lack of operations 
inspectors who are technically qualified for Airbus aircraft 
that fly to the U.S. and the confusion regarding ultimate 
responsibility for aviation safety are the two areas that put 
Category I status in the most jeopardy.  Myeza stated that 
SACAA is currently taking steps to address these two areas. 
Officials at the Department of Transport are also looking to 
address deficiencies in an attempt to avoid a potential 
downgrade to Category II.  End Summary. 
 
------------ 
Recent Audit 
------------ 
 
¶2. (C) The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed 
the latest ICAO standards audit of the South African Civil 
Aviation Authority (SACAA) on August 3.  Economic Counselor 
and Transportation Officer met with SACAA CEO Zakes Myeza, 
Assistant to the CEO Anton Richman, Senior Manager for 
Airworthiness and Certification Obert Chakarisa, and Senior 
Manager of the Legal Department Ntheri Magoai to discuss the 
FAA audit process on August 24.  Myeza stated that his team 
had made some progress in addressing what they perceived as 
potential showstoppers in terms of retaining Category 1 
status.  Although the FAA audit revealed deficiencies in six 
out of eight areas, two areas were described as potential 
showstoppers. The first is the lack of qualified operations 
inspectors to inspect South African Airlines Airbus aircraft 
that fly to the U.S.  The second issue is that SACAA has both 
a CEO and a Commissioner responsible for air safety and 
current aviation legislation does not clearly delineate who 
has the ultimate authority on safety issues.  Furthermore, 
there are issues as to whether the Commissioner is fully 
independent from the Ministry of Transport and SACAA. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
SAG Plans to Address the Potential Showstoppers 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶3. (C) Myeza stated that the SACAA has made progress in 
defining roles in the inspector process.  CAA has a resident 
ICAO advisor who is conducting an audit procedures course and 
an aviation enforcement course and both classes have twenty 
or more students.  The SACAA has recently issued regulations 
clarifying the nine technical areas that require inspection 
and ongoing training will be provided with the goal of having 
at least one inspector qualified in each of the nine 
technical areas.  Myeza has also prepared a proposal to 
address the Commissioner issue and plans to present it to the 
Minister of Transport.  He plans to consult with FAA to 
ensure that his team is on the right track. 
 
¶4. (C) Transportation Officer also met with Department of 
Transport (DOT) Director of Civil Aviation Levers Mabaso to 
discuss the FAA audit on August 31.  Mabaso stated that the 
DOT is looking at the Commissioner issue and is considering 
short and long-term plans to satisfy ICAO standards.  The 
short-term plan would be to take the Commissioner out of CAA 
and place his office at the DOT so that the Commissioner 
would be independent from the SACAA.  The long-term plan 
requires changes to the current aviation legislation to make 
the Commissioner completely independent of both the DOT and 
the SACAA. 
 
¶5. (C) Mabaso also mentioned a plan to address the issue of 
accident investigations. A recent ICAO audit revealed that 
South Africa does not have enough accident investigators to 
match the number of aircraft in operation.  In addition, the 
accident investigation unit is currently under the 
jurisdiction of the SACAA CEO and that creates a potential 
conflict of interest.  Mabaso stated that there is a skills 
deficit within South Africa for engineers and other trained 
personnel that can conduct accident investigations.  DOT 
plans to bring the accident investigation unit to DOT and 
eventually make the unit independent with the power to act on 
recommendations provided by the investigators.  Mabaso noted 
that transferring the unit to DOT has significant financial 
implications and so the plan will take time to implement. 
According to Mabaso, the SAG is looking to "not copy the 
West, but to copy the best" in terms of revising its aviation 
legislation and this search for the "best", along with other 
bureaucratic delays, may cost South Africa precious time. 
 
---------------------- 
A Decision is Imminent 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) FAA is currently reviewing the August 3 audit and 
will be sending out a cable with the official results 
shortly.  Once the official results are released, senior FAA 
officials will visit South Africa to discuss the results. 
SACAA will have 30 days from the date the report is delivered 
to respond.  A final decision regarding a potential downgrade 
to Category II flight safety status is expected in the next 
few weeks. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (C) The South African Government is seeking to avoid a 
downgrade from Category I by implementing a series of plans 
to address deficiencies pointed out by the FAA audit.  There 
are questions as to whether these plans can be implemented 
quickly enough and to the satisfaction of ICAO safety 
standards.  The Embassy is continuing to support SAG in its 
efforts to meet ICAO flight safety standards.  The Charge 
raised the potential downgrade with Deputy Foreign Minister 
Aziz Pahad on August 31 (Septel).  Pahad took the news 
seriously and said he would raise the issue directly with 
Minister of Transport Radebe.  End Comment. 
Teitelbaum