Long time coming...
Great news....closing this loop hole is something that has been a long time coming. It will put comm pilots flying large aircraft where they belong...in the right hand seat.
South African aviation and the CAA can count themselves fortunate that there has not been a serious accident involving a Comm rated P1 in the LHS of a 1900 or similar. I believe the laywers for the insurance would have had a field day.
Show me any of the operators that have taken this gap (a/c certificated for single pilot ops i.a.w. Part 23) and either removed or disabled the other 10 seats...yeah right.
If you try and do a JAA validation (valid for 12 months only - not renewable) the hours on aircraft certificated for operation by one crew only such as the 1900, 200, 228, 110 and other that are operated by SA operators with two crew (MCC specified in Ops Manuals) DO NOT count towards the MCC requirement.
I believe that the CAA has hit the nail on the head with the FAA and JAA Part 25 and 500 hours MCC requirements for ATP as it lends some measure of credibility to the SA ATP.
Fox in the hen house???