A designated aviation medical examiner (DAME) has been suspended and her access to the South African Civil Aviation Authority systems has been blocked while investigations into her conduct are finalised.
On top of this, more than 100 pilots and aviation staff who were declared medically fit and cleared by Dr Nonhlanhla Sishaba now have 15 days in which to have their medical examinations redone by a valid DAME.
The CAA this week announced that former DAME 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.
South Africa’s civil aviation regulations state that the director of civil aviation may designate medical practitioners to conduct medical examinations on aviation personnel including pilots, air traffic controllers, cabin crew and flight engineers on behalf of the CAA.
What we know of at this stage is 103 assessments were done after the 31 March 2024. We have since blocked her on the system
— Phindi Gwebu, CAA spokesperson
This is to ensure they meet the required standards for a valid licence. The director considers redesignation only for medical practitioners who have demonstrated satisfactory performance during previous designation periods.
Sishaba’s designation is under scrutiny due to ongoing investigations into alleged improper and fraudulent conduct. Her designation expired at the end of March this year and was not renewed pending the outcome of the investigation, yet she is alleged to have continued conducting medical examinations and clearing aviation staff.
“The SACAA online system flagged the fact that Dr Sishaba has continued to examine and issue medical certificates, in gross violation of civil aviation regulations. Under the regulations, all the certificates issued (by her) from April 1 2024 are therefore invalid,” said CAA spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu.
Gwebu told TimesLIVE Premium: “What we know at this stage is 103 assessments were done after March 31 2024. 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 and to the police.
Gwebu said the assessments and reports loaded onto the system by Sishaba would be verified to confirm that the medical certificate was correctly issued. If it is found not to have been, there has to be engagement between the license holder, the DAME and the SACAA until all queries are resolved.
This means that all licence holders who received medical certification from Sishaba after April 1 must now present themselves for re-examination and certification by a current and valid DAME within the next 15 working days.
Gwebu said further investigations identified how non-medical and unauthorised personnel had conducted medical assessments and filed fraudulent and incomplete medical reports in the SACAA medical system.
In terms of the CAA Act, aviation personnel are required to regularly undergo prescribed medical assessments to ensure their health status is compatible with their roles and licences.
After being notified of Sishaba’s alleged misconduct, CAA director Poppy Khoza issued a general notice to the aviation industry.
“We view these allegations in a very serious light as they have a direct impact on the ability of aviation personnel to perform their duties in a safe manner as prescribed by civil aviation regulations,” Khoza said.
“South Africa’s aviation sector boasts an exemplary safety record, with no fatal accidents in the scheduled airline sector in nearly 40 years. While our investigations are continuing, we cannot ignore these findings. Ensuring the safety of aviation services is our top priority, and we will pursue all available legal measures to resolve this issue swiftly.”
Khoza urged licence holders unsure of their status to contact the SACAA aviation medical department for information and guidance.
She said the recent shift by the SACAA to an online verification system had enabled the detection of irregularities and had improved data accuracy.
In November 2022, the SACAA launched an e-services portal that allows aviation operators to renew and pay for their air operator certificates and other approvals online. However, there was a possibility that Sishaba may have been using a manual backup system to avoid detection.
“The SACAA has requested all SACAA-related documents in Dr Sishaba’s possession be immediately returned,” Khoza said.
Gwebu said it had been detected when Sishaba, who was expected to load the SACAA system with all her completed medical assessments, along with the required medical reports, failed to do so. It is believed she held them back until the SACAA began inquiring about them.
“At that stage she was penalised as she was in contravention of the requirements in terms of the civil aviation regulations.”
This led to her suspension, but she continued to carry out examinations despite the expiry of her DAME designation.
Sishaba did not respond to requests for her response.
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