More than 100 pilots and aviation staff will have to redo their medical examinations within the next two weeks because a designated aviation medical examiner (DAME), whose certification was not renewed earlier this year, had continued to examine them and issue clearance certificates.
Dr Nonhlanhla Sishaba has now been suspended and had her access to the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) systems blocked as investigations continue.
TimesLIVE reports that the CAA announced this week that Sishaba is facing harsh action by the regulator and has been accused of failing to comply with proper procedures, and continuing to conduct medical examinations on aviation staff even after the expiry of her designation.
Regulations state that the director of civil aviation may designate medical practitioners to carry out examinations on aviation personnel including pilots, air traffic controllers, cabin crew and flight engineers, on behalf of the CAA, to ensure they meet the required standards for a valid licence.
“The online system flagged the fact that she continued to examine and issue medical certificates, in gross violation of civil aviation regulations. Under the regulations, all the certificates issued by her from 1 April 2024 are therefore invalid,” said CAA spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu.
“At this stage, 103 assessments were done after 31 March. We have since blocked her on the system.”
She said Sishaba had already paid a fine of R10 000, but the CAA was planning to report her to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and to the police.
The current investigation follows a series of non-compliance and enforcement actions previously taken by the regulator, according to AlgoaFM.
“In 2023, enforcement action resulted in a penalty being issued to her for non-compliance. Her designation as DAME expired on 31 March 2024, and was not renewed pending the ongoing investigations.”
Advocate Luvuyo Silandela, senior manager in the legal department, confirmed that all certificates issued by Sishaba after 1 April 2024 are now considered invalid. All of the affected licence-holders will have to undergo re-examination and certification with a valid DAME within 15 working days.
“Our investigation uncovered the alleged involvement of unauthorised personnel in conducting medical assessments and the submission of fraudulent and incomplete medical reports in the SACAA system,” Silandela said. “Some certificates were issued without supporting verified documents, and others were backed by what we believe to be fraudulent certificates.”
SACAA Director of Civil Aviation Poppy Khoza expressed concern over the allegations, emphasising their potential impact on aviation safety.
“These findings … directly affect the ability of aviation personnel to perform their duties safely,” she said. “While our investigations are ongoing, we cannot ignore the severity of these violations. Ensuring aviation safety is our top priority, and we will pursue all available legal measures to address this issue swiftly.”
Personnel affected by the invalid certificates include pilots, air traffic controllers, and aircraft maintenance engineers.
AlgoaFM article – CAA probes claims of fraudulent conduct by former aviation doctor (Open access)