VZCZCXRO3799
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHSA #3331/01 2631557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201557Z SEP 07 ZDS ZUI RUEHCS 9068 2631557
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1872
INFO RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1330
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 4846
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 9176
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 7442
RHMFIUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 003331 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y - FAA ADDRESS AND ROUTING INDICATOR 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR KGUSTAVSON, JREIFMAN 
FAA WASHDC FOR NANGELO, MCINTRON 
TSA FOR JHALINSKY 
 
SIPDIS 
DAKAR FOR FAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR PREL ICAO FAA AORC SF
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT WILLING TO 
ADDRESS LEGAL DEFICIENCIES 
 
REF: PRETORIA 3102 
 
PRETORIA 00003331  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Economic Counselor and Transportation 
Officer made a courtesy call on South African Department of 
Transport (SADOT) Chief Director of Aviation Anwar Gany on 
September 11.  The conversation touched on the July Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA) audit and DOT plans to address 
legal deficiencies regarding the autonomy of the CAA.  The 
Economic Counselor mentioned that there was a lack of clarity 
as to who had ultimate authority regarding flight safety 
issues.  Gany stated that his office is willing to look at 
proposals from the FAA on how to address the structure of the 
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to bring it into compliance 
with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety 
standards.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------- 
The Key Player at DOT 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Economic Counselor and Transportation Officer called 
on South African Department of Transport Chief Director of 
Aviation Anwar Gany on September 11.  The conversation 
touched on the July FAA audit and DOT plans to address legal 
deficiencies regarding the autonomy of the CAA.  Gany is the 
senior official at the Department of Transport in charge of 
aviation matters.  Mr. Gany complimented the Transportation 
Security Administration (TSA) on their audit process, but 
expressed frustration with the FAA audit.  He complained that 
he was not informed about the audit until a day before the 
auditors were to arrive.  He said he was also unaware of the 
audit timeline and unsure of how the decision would be made 
regarding a potential downgrade to FAA Category II flight 
safety status.  Nevertheless, he was willing to consider 
proposals from the FAA that would address the legal 
deficiencies that had been identified in previous 
consultations with the FAA. 
 
------------------------------- 
CAA Structure Still Problematic 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Economic Counselor mentioned that there was a 
lack of clarity as to who had ultimate authority regarding 
flight safety issues.  Gany explained that the CAA CEO is 
responsible for the operational, day-to-day management of the 
CAA and reports to the CAA Board of Directors which reports 
in turn to the Minister of Transportation.  The Commissioner, 
however, reports to the Minister of Transport and is the 
ultimate authority on flight safety matters.  Gany explained 
that the decision to appoint someone other than the CAA CEO 
as the Commissioner was made so that the CEO would not be the 
same person granting or denying licenses and hearing appeals. 
 He claimed that the ICAO auditors found the CAA structure to 
be adequate during the ICAO audit process.  (Note: The 
results of the ICAO audit have not yet been released.  End 
Note.)  Gany then expressed the DOT's willingness to do 
whatever is necessary to address the legal deficiencies 
regarding the autonomy of the CAA.  He explained that this 
matter would need to be resolved within the DOT in the same 
way as the so-called "Regulation 61" issue, pertaining to the 
certification of pilots, which was resolved "with a stroke of 
a pen".  Gany stressed that his office represents the South 
Africa Government and it would need to be involved in 
decisions that would impact state policy. 
 
----------------- 
Biographical Note 
----------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Biographical Note: Gany began the meeting by 
discussing the importance of aviation security.  He stated 
that he is a Muslim with moderate views and understands the 
measures that are necessary to ensure aviation security, 
especially in the run-up to a high profile event like the 
2010 FIFA World Cup.  He said he opposed the taking of 
innocent life by Muslim extremists and believes in the 
importance of religious tolerance in a diverse society.  He 
expressed his frustration with the denial of access to the 
U.S. to influential South African travelers because of 
religious profiling.  Gany's colleague DOT Aviation Security 
Director Mongezi India was taken into secondary screening at 
 
PRETORIA 00003331  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the New York port of entry earlier this year.  As a result, 
India and Gany were both planning to travel to the ICAO 
General Assembly in Montreal by way of London, rather than by 
way of New York.  Gany was educated in Australia and the 
United Kingdom.  He was the Projects Manager at the Airports 
Company South Africa (ACSA) prior to joining the Department 
of Transport as Chief of Aviation.  He also worked as a 
Station Manager at Durban International Airport for Transnet. 
 His other work experience consists of engineering and 
logistics management.  Gany said he enjoyed his visits to the 
United States and described Americans as "boistrous, bullish, 
but extremely professional. 
 
Bost