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The Minister of Transport, Dullah Omar, announced this morning the appointment of the new board of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with effect from 1 November 2001 (today) for a period of three years. The new board takes office as the tenure of the first board of the CAA ends on 31 October 2001.

The first board of the CAA has presided over a critical period in the establishment and development of the autonomous CAA. The CAA has notched a number of notable achievements during its short three year existence thus far, including ISO 9001 certification, expanded oversight and enforcement activities, development of competencies in new areas such as aviation medicine, improving ICAO safety audits, significant progress in compliance with our Employment Equity Act requirements, etc.

"I am satisfied that the outgoing board has laid a firm foundation for the further development and success in the CAA executing its mandate in accordance with South Africa's international treaty obligations. I wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation of their effort and time they committed to this endeavour," Minister Omar said.

The new board will serve from 1 November 2001 to 31 October 2004.

The board members appointed are:

Mr. Israel B. Skosana: Chairman, served as Chairman of the outgoing board. Mr. Skosana is the CEO of the SARHWU Investment Holdings Limited and previously served as the CEO of SA Express. He is a member of the national Audit Commission, and serves as director on the boards of SPESCOM Limited, Mercantile Lisbon Bank Holdings Limited, Tiger Brands Limited and Adcorp Limited and is the Extraordinary Professor in Applied Accounting at UNISA and the University of Pretoria.

Mr. Zukile Nomvete: Deputy Chairman. Mr. Nomvete is an aviation consultant who previously served as an executive manager at SAA and previously flew as a Flight Engineer for Ethiopian Airlines and qualified as an Aviation Maintenance Engineer. He has also previously served as an Executive Director of Transnet and served in senior managerial posts at Metrorail, Denel (Pty) Ltd, Atlas Aviation and Thebe Trading.

Ms. Nothemba Mlonzi, board member who also served on the outgoing board. Ms. Mlonzi is the director of her own legal practice, Mlonzi and Company and completed further studies in Business Administration and Management.

Ms. Phuti Tsukudu, board member. Ms Tsukudu is the director of her own human resource development company, Tsukudu Associates. She also serves on the boards of Manufacturing and Design Academy of SA, SA Post Office, Desmond Tutu Educational Trust, serves on the Council of Cape Technikon and as a Director of Emang Portfolio (Pty) Ltd.

Mr. Kutso Mampeule, board member. Mr. Mampeule is the CEO of the Old Mutual Employee Benefits division, previously served as the CEO of SA Express, Executive Manager of OREX, Deputy Chairperson of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa and served as chairman of Aviation Training and Development Foundation.

Mr. Victor Mogatle, board member. Mr Mogatle is an officer in the South African Air Force who was previously trained as an aviation instrument technician and served as aviation engineer in the UK. He is presently the project manager of a major modifications programme for the SAAF's Hercules C-130 aircraft.

Mr. Trevor Abrahams, the current Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner for Civil Aviation.

The CAA Board will be accountable to the Minister of Transport and will be required to accept and implement a code of corporate governance to ensure public accountability within established corporate governance principles. The Minister of Transport is confident that the new CAA Board will provide the guidance and direction necessary for the CAA to develop into a major regulator on the African continent and a world-class aviation safety organisation.

Contact: Mike Mabasa at 083 680 7048

Issued by: Ministry of Transport, 1 November 2001