SACAA still skirting around George plane crash inquiries 

When it comes to safety and legal compliance, the SA Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) has been skating on thin ice.

Documents seen by The Citizen have revealed that Sacaa – questioned for its handling of last year’s fatal Cessna S550 Citation SII George plane crash, which claimed the lives of the entire three-member crew – have painted a picture of a regulator that is no stranger to flouting safety standards.

What led to the tragic deaths of first officer Tebogo Lekalakala, 33, captain Thabiso Tolo, 49, and flight inspector Gugu Mnguni, 36, will soon become the subject of a legal challenge by Lekalakala’s husband, Sputla, an aviation technical expert.

ALSO READ: Family takes on SACAA over alleged noncompliance, crash cover-up

A letter dated 6 February 2020, from accredited certification body’s SGS South Africa to Sacaa quality assurance manager Claudia Lakay, confirmed the suspension of the regulator’s ISO 9001: 2015 rating.

Citing reasons for the suspension, SGS said it was obliged to uphold international norms and practices on the provision of certification services.

“Further to the recent meeting between our two companies on 3 February 2020, and regarding the serious incident involving the aircraft of the Sacaa’s flight inspection unit, I am now writing to confirm the suspension of your certification,” wrote certification and business enhancement manager Donna Brown Crockart.

“SGS wishes to protect the integrity of the ISO 9001: 2015 certification process and, in so doing, protect its standing as a reputable and accredited certification body. The same suspension is in line with the SGS code of practice.

“The Sacaa may not promote or advertise the certification in any way and may not claim to be certified. Consequently, the Sacaa would not be entitled to apply the SGS logo for ISO 9001 to any material or publications inferring continued certification.”

The suspension was valid from 7 February to 1 June last year.

“Should the written response, corrective action plan and on-site visit not take place as stipulated, we will be forced to withdraw your certification,” said Crockart.

Responded Lakay: “Sacaa finds the unilateral action by the SGS to suspend the ISO 9001: 2015 certificate premature, as Sacaa did not have the opportunity to formally respond to the SGS written notification of intent. The Sacaa further requested the SGS – considering the isolated nature of this event – to benchmark internationally on whether it is common practice to suspend a certificate based on a single incident, albeit a disastrous one.

“The Sacaa, furthermore pointed out to SGS that early investigation showed that the aircraft and the flight crew, which formed part of the calibration operation, were compliant with regulatory certification, licensing and approval requirements.”

ALSO READ: Cessna crash outside George baffles aviators

Another letter dated 25 April 2019, from the International Air Services Council (IASC) secretariat to Sacaa CEO Poppy Khoza, questioned the regulator’s management structure – not endorsing the appointment of W Selebogo as accountable manager.

The IASC informed Khoza of its recommendation to Sacaa that Selebogo’s appointment “be struck off the roll and the applicant to reapply when ready to submit the requested documents, accordingly”.

“Kindly be advised that the International Air Services Council, at its meeting of 11 April 2019, noted the request for postponement to appear before the IASC on 11 April 2019.

“Council indicated that the matter has been pending since 19 July 2018, and that the requested outstanding information, which was communicated during the Section 21 hearing on 10 December 2018 to Sacaa officials, was still pending,” read the letter.

Undeterred by difficulty to gain access to information on what led to the death of his wife and colleagues, Lekalakala is determined “to get to the bottom of what happened to my wife and colleagues on that fateful day”.

ALSO READ: Mbalula gives go-ahead for independent probe into George air crash

“It took me almost a year before I could get on my feet to start digging for information,” said Lekalakala.

“Fortunately, my wife and I had no secrets, we knew each other’s e-mail passwords. Sacaa had shut all the doors when I started asking about things such as the plane insurance. They refused to supply the schedule of the plane. I then knew that I was dealing with people trying to hide certain things.

“I even wrote to the international council requesting information on FIU (flight inspection unit) operations, I was blocked from accessing the information.”

Asked why department of transport deputy director-general Andries Ntjane refused Lekalakala access to Sacaa flight inspection records, spokesperson Collen Msibi said: “Lekalakala did request for assistance to place the matter before the IASC for consideration.

“The matter of the Sacaa plane crash in George is the domain of the Independent Accident and Investigation Unit (IAIU).”

Sacaa spokesperson Phindile Gwebu has maintained that the plane crash was “a confidential matter”.

“When an aircraft is involved in an accident, all files and data related to the plane and crew fall in the jurisdiction of the investigators.

“Sacaa, through its calibration unit, is an operator and we have to distance ourselves of everything related to the aircraft and crew until the report is finalised and released.”

brians@citizen.co.za