Flight staff who were issued medical certificates by a doctor unauthorised to do so, have been given two weeks to undergo a re-examination after the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) found that a doctor had been allegedly fraudulently issued medical certificates to staff.
The SACAA said its in the end stages of wrapping up its investigation into alleged improper conducted by Dr Nhlanhla Sishaba.
"Dr Sishaba’s designation is under scrutiny due to ongoing investigations into alleged improper and fraudulent conduct," the authority said.
It said in 2023, an enforcement action resulted in a penalty being issued to Dr Sishaba for non-compliance. Her designation as Designated Aviation Medical Examiner (Dame) expired in March 2024 and was not renewed pending the investigations.
The SACAA said under the Civil Aviation Regulations, the director may designate medical practitioners to conduct medical examinations on staff, including pilots, air traffic controllers, cabin crew and flight engineers to ensure that they are medically fit and meet the requirements for a valid license.
Sishaba's activity was flagged by the SACAA online system after she continued to issue medical certificates.
"Under the regulations, all the certificates issued from April 1 are therefore invalid. All license holders who received medical certification from Dr Sishaba from this date must present themselves for re-examination and certification to a current and valid Dame within the next 15 working days.
Further investigations identified the alleged use of non-medical and unauthorised personnel for conducting medical assessments and filing of fraudulent and incomplete medical reports in the SACAA medical system," the SACAA said.
Meanwhile known operators who used Dr Sishaba's services have been issued with further instructions.
Director of Civil Aviation, Poppy Khoza, said the authority viewed the allegations in a very serious light.
"These allegations have a direct impact on the ability of aviation personnel to perform their duties in a safe manner as prescribed by the Civial Aviation Authorities. 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 said.
Khoza added that license holders who are unsure of their status should contact the SACAA Aviation Medical Department immediately. Khoza thanked license holders and service providers who continue to participate in the investigation.
In November 2022 the SACAA launched an eServices portal allowing aviation operators to renew and pay for their Air Operator Certificates and other approvals online.
“There is a possibility that the doctor may be using a manual back-up system to avoid detection. The SACAA has requested all SACAA related documents in Dr Sishaba’s possession be immediately returned,” the authority said.
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