In its move to forestall corrupt
practices in the sector, the South African Civil Aviation Authority
(SACAA) has introduced a national tip-offs hotline that enables
anonymous members of the public and those involved in aviation to
report suspected fraud and corruption or unlawful activities that
may eventually jeopardise safety and security in aviation. The
SACAA recently announced that it will be implementing a monetary
penalty system against those who transgress applicable civil
aviation regulations. The Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. Zakhele
Thwala, remarks: "Aviation is at the heart of economic growth in
this country. If you have people and businesses unwilling to rely
on your country's aviation transport system due to suspected
weaknesses in its safety and security system, you are literally
hampering this very economic growth and also compromising on safety
and security."
The Director reveals that the
tip-offs hotline is outsourced and, therefore, totally independent
of the SACAA, thus guaranteeing anonymity for all persons reporting
suspected corruption, unless they choose to reveal their
identity.