Overview

Our Strategic Objectives:

Vision

· To be a model enabler ensuring sustainability in a safe, secure, and environmentally compliant aviation industry;

· To be a model enabler of a safe, secure and sustainable aviation environment and industry; and

· To be a model enabler ensuring sustainability in a safe, secure and environmentally friendly aviation industry

Mission

· To oversee and regulate civil aviation safety and security, in line with international standards;

· To foster an environmentally friendly aviation industry;

· To minimize the impact of the aviation industry on the environment; and

· To promote transformation and development of the industry in a sustainable manner.

Values

· Commitment - Demonstrate a genuine shared vision of the organization, through our high quality performance and service that we deliver to our stakeholders consistently.

· Integrity - Maintaining high ethical standards and approaching issues professionally without any bias and in a transparent manner that solicits trust amongst all our stakeholders.

· Customer Focused - Ensure that each of our Customers will receive high quality Customer Service and an experience of our organisation that will exceed their expectations on each and every interaction.

· Collaboration - Recognize that through partnerships with various stakeholders, we will create new opportunities, building mutually beneficial relationships, whilst generating better decisions for SACAA.

· Accountability - We are answerable to successes and failures of our actions and seek not to unduly apportion blame to others.

SACAA mandate

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is an agency of the Department of Transport (DoT) and as a result, its activities are governed by a performance agreement signed between the Board of Directors and the Minister of Transport. Its mandate, defined more fully in the South African Civil Aviation Authority Act No. 40 of 1998, can be summarised as follows:

“The Authority is mandated with promoting, regulating, supporting, enforcing and continuously improving levels of safety and security throughout the civil aviation industry. The above is to be achieved by complying with the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) whilst considering the local context. This mandate relates to aviation safety and security oversight of airspace, airports, aircraft, operations and personnel.”

Establishment of the Civil Aviation Authority

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was established on 1 October 1998 following the enactment of the South African Civil Aviation Authority Act, No.40, in September of the same year. The Act provided for the establishment of a stand-alone authority charged with promoting, regulating and enforcing civil aviation safety and security. It reflected the Government’s priorities and was in line with international trends in the aviation world where more and more states implemented this option.

Corporate Governance

The Authority is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Transport and is representative of aviation industry, management and business expertise. Through a Performance Agreement with the Minister, the Board is accountable for the performance of the Authority in carrying out its statutory functions and achieving objectives. The NDOT will monitor the activities of the Authority.

Management

The management of the CAA has been structured along three core responsibility levels; the Strategic Management level which constitutes the Executive Management, Project Management level which together with the Executive Management constitutes Senior Management and the Operational level which is organised according to technical departments.

The key role for the Executive is the strategic leadership of the organization and the co-ordination of policy formulation. The Executive’s function is to develop and maintain positive links with the industry and to co-ordinate the CAA’s international relations with s such as SADC, ICAO, AFCAC, and other CAAs.

The Project Management level co-ordinates the technical activities of the key areas of oversight being the Accident and Incident Investigation, Aircraft Safety, Aviation Security, Air Safety Infrastructure, Air Safety Operations Risk and Compliance.

Technical departments report to the areas of oversight relevant to their specific activities. This means that depending on the activity, a technical department may report to a different oversight area. Within each area of oversight, the key responsibilities are to set, monitor and enforce standards, as well as to promote safety.

Areas of Oversight

The roles and responsibilities of the CAA revolve around the following six areas of oversight:

Accident and Incident Investigation – The AIID investigates accidents and incidents to determine the probable cause of such accidents. The investigation philosophy will ultimately result in the necessary corrective interventions being undertaken in order to prevent the recurrence of similar aircraft accidents. It is important to remember that investigations are not meant to apportion blame or legal liability.

Aircraft Safety – The Aircraft Safety Division is concerned with ensuring that all aircraft that fly in our airspace are airworthy. Included in the Divisions mandate is the upkeep of the civilian aircraft register, ensuring that civilian aircraft are maintained in accordance with requirements, oversight of Aircraft Maintenance Organisations, the approval of aircraft modifications and Supplementary Type Certificates and to ascertain that maintenance engineers adhere to the applicable regulations.

Aviation Security – The mandate of the Aviation Security Division relates to the security of airports, air operators, cargo, the safe transportation of dangerous goods as well as the oversight of aviation security training organizations.

Air Safety Infrastructure – The Air Safety Infrastructure Division is responsible for ensuring that South African airports, helistops, heliports and airspace are safe. In addition this division also ensures that off-airport structures that may affect the safety of air navigation comply with all safety standards as required by the Regulations. The division is also responsible for the approval of flight procedures and the licensing of Air Traffic Controllers. Furthermore, the division is responsible for the provision of aeronautical safety information to the industry in accordance with ICAO requirements.

Air Safety Operations – This division ensures regulatory compliance and safety oversight of all Air Operators, Aviation Training Organisations, Designated Flight Examiners, Designated Aviation Medical Examiners and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers. In addition, the Air Safety Operations Division is also responsible for Flight Inspections, Maintenance of Examinations, Testing Standards and Aviation Medical Standards in the South African aviation context. The division also certifies the safety technical compliance of Aviation Navigation Aids.

Risk and Compliance – Enterprise Wide Risk Management forms and integral part of the SACAA’s business processes and risk assessments focused on the areas of Strategic Core Operational and Support Service related risk. The Division also encompasses the Client Services, Aviation Personnel Licensing and Examinations as well as the Information Management Departments.

International Harmonization

The SACAA has rightfully claimed its position as a regional leader in the aviation regulatory sector in our region, the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The CAA has hosted dozens of regional meetings and conferences since 1994 and is in the driving seat of regional efforts to harmonize aviation regulations in the region, and improving the level of aviation surveillance in member states.

Also, in 2003, South Africa was elected to be a member of the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) council, a move that sees the country participating at the highest forum with regards to aviation matters.

Funding and Cost-recovery

The CAA is funded by a combination of direct and indirect fees and Government funding of the investigation of aircraft accidents.

The industry is charged for direct services as per regulated fees. Indirect charges are imposed on all scheduled departing passengers from any airport in the country and a fuel levy is also charged to general aviation.