Fraudulent papers for pilots

Regulator probes irregularities surrounding chief medical officer.

- Hein Kaiser

A number of pilots and cabin crew at South African Airways may have to be grounded as their licences would have been rendered invalid because they were renewed with illegally issued medical fitness certificates.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) said yesterday it had refused to renew the licence of SAA's chief medical officer, Dr Nonhlanhla Sishaba, to issue medical certificates after she was found to not have complied with the strict rules governing such flight crew tests.

The action has potentially rendered a number of cabin crew and pilots' licences illegal.

The doctor stands accused of issuing fraudulent medical certificates to crew and pilots, despite the regulator's nonrenewal of her licence in March, that is a consequence of an investigation into alleged irregularities in her conduct.

In 2023, an enforcement action by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) resulted in a penalty being issued to her for noncompliance. Her designation, or authority to issue medical fitness certification expired on 31 March this year and has not been renewed, pending the ongoing investigations into her conduct.

CAA confirmed that the authority continues to investigate irregularities surrounding Sishaba's conduct.

The probe has flagged severe noncompliances, including the use of unauthorised personnel to conduct medical assessments.

While Sishaba's designation was not renewed, she purportedly remains in the employ of SAA and allegedly continued issuing medical certificates illegally.