What I find interesting is that 'most' SA CAA employees I deal with (on a daily basis) feels that TA should never set foot in the CAA again (since WS took over there has been an improvement - no doubt on my side). In addition, it is heard that most of his 'troops' should have the good sence to get out while the going is good.

Shame!!!

Bakela

You've got to feel sorry for her. How can she possibly give CAA the shake up it needs when neither the Board nor the Minister have the backbone to make the position permanent.

Just based on the IRP findings it's obvious that Trevor is not Commissioner material. CAA have acted on all the IRP recommendations -- even so far as to schedule diciplinary hearings for Van Wyk and De Kock who've demonstrated a desire to uphold the law.

She cirtainly looks promising so far but we can't really tell until the spectre of Trevor's return is banished forever...

I've just received a most disturbing email on the ATP scam subject.

It seems that a consultant assisting the commercial crime unit with this disgusting case has had an attempt on his children's lives. This is a revolting turn of events.

Mannie Esterhuisen, a witness, has had similar harassment continuously for the last 6 weeks: late night invasions of his property with the intent apparently to provoke a shoot-out.

The consultant has taken steps to protect himself and his family and we can expect media coverage early in the week.

It's quite clear that this scum has an abject disregard for the rule of law, people, and everything else society considers valuable. Don't take this sort of behaviour lying down!

We need to get these people incarcerated with their other 'business' associates: Colin Chauke for example. :mad: :mad: :mad:

In the Beeld this morning:

Aanvallers het glo die dogter van een van die sleutelfigure in die vlieglisensieskandaal en haar vriendin helder oordag probeer kaap by 'n private skool in Pretoria.

Die vier mans kon egter net daarin slaag om met sowat R40 000 en reisdokumente weg te kom.

Volgens mnr. Colin Weir het hy Vrydagmiddag sy dogter Genevieve en haar vriendin by die laer skool by Crawford College gaan haal. Die kinders het in sy motor gewag terwyl hy die onderwysers gaan groet het. Die gesin sou gisteraand na Australi' ge'migreer het.

"Hulle was net enkele minute alleen in die motor toe hulle skielik gillend aangehardloop kom en sê dat vier mans die aktetasse uit die motor gesteel het. Die mans het eers gevra waar ek is en toe die tasse met die geld en al ons reisdokumente gegryp. Toe hulle sien daar is nie 'n sleutel in die motor nie, het hulle die regteragterwiel met 'n mes stukkend gesteek," het Weir gistermiddag vertel.

Terwyl die mans besig was, kon die kinders daarin slaag om weg te hardloop.

Weir en mnr. Manie Esterhuizen het onlangs 'n deurslaggewende rol gespeel in die opspraakwekkende ondersoek na die beweerde koop en verkoop van eksamenvraestelle vir vlie'nierslisensies.

Sedert dié ondersoek vroeg in Mei begin het, het Esterhuizen al verskeie doodsdreigemente ontvang.

Volgens Weir het hy die geld gaan trek kort voordat hy die twee meisies by die skool gaan haal het.

"By die skool is daar twee stelle veiligheidswagte. Die rowers het desondanks by die veiligheidswagte verby gekom, die geld gesteel en is weg sonder dat iemand iets gedoen het om hulle te keer.

"Dit wek groot kommer, want daar is ook talle kinders van personeel van ambassades en die Verenigde Nasies in die skool. Die veiligheidsopset is juis daarop gemik om mense wie se kinders teikens van ontvoering kan wees te beskerm."

Weir het eers gedink die voorval Vrydag was net 'n rooftog, maar Saterdag is die gesin tydens 'n inkopietog na vier verskillende winkels deur 'n blou BMW agtervolg. Hulle het die registrasienommer laat nagaan, maar dit is blykbaar 'n vervalste nommerplaat.

Dieselfde blou BMW het Esterhuizen ook al agtervolg.

Weir en sy gesin word sedert Vrydagmiddag deur die polisie opgepas.

Weir, 'n lugvaartkenner, was ten nouste betrokke by die ondersoek na mnr. Trevor Abrahams, geskorste kommissaris van die burgerlugvaartowerheid (BLO), verskeie werknemers van die BLO en ses vlie'niers wat die laaste tyd aangekla is van beweerde korrupsie, bedrog en oortredings van lugvaartregulasies.

Dit was nadat mnr. Louis Maloma, 'n gewese vlie'nier van SA Airlink, vroe'r vanjaar in 'n be'digde verklaring aan die polisie beweer het vlie'niers het eksamenvraestelle gekoop.

'n Paneel wat intussen deur die minister van vervoer aangestel is om die probleme in die BLO te ondersoek, het onder meer bevind dat daar onre'lmatighede met die toekenning van Abrahams se vlieglisensie was.

Daar is besluit dat 'n verdere paneel van ondersoek aangestel gaan word om die vrae om 'n vliegongeluk by die Randse lughawe waarby Abrahams betrokke was, verder te ondersoek.

Nuwe inligting wat Weir ontvang het, dui daarop dat ander vliegongelukke ook ter sprake kan wees.

Sies, man! Hierdie mense, TA, is 'n slim kerel!

------------------
:) Happiness is a warm L1011 :)

Please Guv, you're a self-confessed forged licence holder, and spurious claimant to being a professional pilot. Why call for justice for others when you admit to the same acts?

Quote from Sunday Times today:

AN EMPLOYEE of the Civil Aviation Authority who was implicated in a pilot licence examination scandal has been axed from his job.

The Sunday Times exposed the scam in April when a whistleblower claimed that commercial pilots, some employed by South African Airways, were paying up to R9 700 to buy illegally obtained copies of Airline Transport Pilots licence question papers.

Passing the test allows pilots to take on more responsibility, including at times taking over the flight controls, of passenger-carrying aircraft.

An independent panel appointed to investigate the allegations found there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the eight implicated pilots but recommended that action be taken against CAA staff involved in the scam.

The panel heard evidence that CAA employee Brandon Harris had stolen a college's computer password to gain access to the test papers on computer. He then passed the test papers on to a pilot worried about failing.

A disciplinary hearing found Harris guilty of a "criminal offence" related to the leaking of test papers.

He was dismissed from the CAA with effect from October 5, CAA spokesman Jackie Mfeka said this week.

Just an exerpt of a news article (for all the Engels sprekend mense)

One of the key figures in the investigation into the pilot licence scam in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Colin Weir, has fled the country after being robbed, followed and terrorised.

The newspaper Beeld reports that Weir was robbed under suspicious circumstances last week, and was followed by strangers on two different occasions. He and his family boarded a flight to Australia under police escort on Sunday night.

Weir, an aviation expert, has since the beginning of the year been investigating the alleged buying and selling of examination papers for the senior commercial pilot’s licence. The investigation, which is now also handled by the police, has led to the arrest of the head of the Civil Aviation Authority, Trevor Abrahams, two other CAA officials and six pilots.

Last week, four men stole an attaché case containing R35 000 from Weir’s car while his daughter and a friend were in the car. The children were unhurt, but Weir believes it was an attempt to kidnap his child

This thread gets better by the day, it is starting to read like the Helderberg thread! Death Threats, people leaving the country under police escort? What next? The CAA's corrupt officials must be feeling the heat....

Next? Well, here's another snippet:

Manie Esterhuisen, another person assisting the CCU, had a police helicopter in his back garden the other day. They intended to relocate him and his family to a secret location. He declined the offer.

Perhaps he should have taken them up on their offer before he gets involved in a "freak accident"!

Clearly the cops regard the threats as serious: police protection is virtually unheard of in this country. Esterhuisen is a police officer and it seems he chose to take the risk because he did not feel it worthwhile to put his family through the relocation ordeal. Merely relocating within the country offers limited protection in a society as corrupt as ours.

I say good luck to him.

IOL:

According to the press, ALPA SA paid his bail!!!

Cash row lead to Aviation Expose News 24 27 October

"McC[l]ain owed me R1 000 for one of the ATP question papers. He threatened to assault me and I decided to make the statement"


"A CAA spokesperson confirmed that a second panel of investigation would soon be appointed."


Money - the great motivator ;)

[Australian] Aviation Chief Admits Breach of Aviation Safety

Now if Trev was chief of CASA...

Did Trevor A. appear in court today? If so does anyone know what happened? What charges were put against him? etc etc

Seems the next court date is mid January. One thing the legal process doesn't provide is quick answers...

17 January to be exact - where is the court case to be held tho? I would love to sit in on it!

Not about the ATP scam, that court hearing on the 17 Jan, but this is for starters.

It appears the intrepid Trevor Abrahams has finally been found guilty of flying without proper licences and also failing to report flying incidents which he was involved in. It is interesting to read that at the time of these accusations been reported by South African press, Trevor Abraham denied everything! Read the following Sunday Times article for all the "tasty" bits http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/2001/01/14/news/news01.htm

[This message has been edited by WildFrequency (edited 14 January 2001).]