The CAA in Crisis? What Crisis?
Hi Knoppiesdoring, I see you wrote:
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“I see the "CAA Chief" responded on the drama with "moer Laat"
I would like him to say something here as well.
With his aviation background he must have seen the writing on the wall and he allowed it to continue to a where it is today.
Why, why, did you not stop it then, or was it not the right political thing to do”
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Now my stint as Commissioner did thicken the epidermal layer quite a bit but I don’t believe good rumouring can be built on fiction alone.
Yes the developments in the CAA is a national disgrace, a disaster waiting for a location and a matter of deep personal disappointment to one who put in quite a bit of time into building a world class outfit – lets face it the DCA was not exactly a firm foundation to start of from.
Not to pat my own back, but the CAA to my departure had started attracting well qualified personnel at all levels, many of whom we were attracting from the industry, not the dregs of aviation, some of whom found a home in the DCA. ( I am not suggesting ALL the DCA employees were without merit).
We covered areas, which were hither to never done well or done at all, look at the medical officer (white female) in charge then – still an industry leader in the field, now outside the CAA. Look at aviation security and the joke we have operating there now, look at air show supervision and the expertise, which is no longer at the CAA, look at safety promotion and the team who took the show around the country etc. …..
We had world-class development programmes, which have now placed PDI inspectors with M.Sc. in aeronautical studies in the CAA. So much for qualifications … can’t guarantee the attitude in a rudderless ship.
Go back since I left the helm as CEO in December 2002 and add up the loss in qualifications of staff who have since left, were pushed or hounded out. By way of example, the IT manager, perceived a friend of the CEO was prosecuted only to have the CCMA rule against the CAA ( a cool R390,000 of your money owed to this IT manager by the CAA)
“Writing on the wall” Well what I did see is a board member who wanted me to employ some of his (unqualified) cronies. I resisted and they instituted a so called forensic audit (R750,000 of your loot for less than 1 months shoddy work – not my words, but the senior advocate who presided in my hearing.) and a subsequent disciplinary process (R3.28m .. you guessed …of your money) for a disciplinary process where 83% of the charges were kicked to boot, the rest were so ridiculous to land the CAA with a suite of R2m from myself.
There’s much more to say by Pprune has server limitations and maybe I could become an author one day.