SACAA Annual Report 2022_23

PART A I General Information

Board – Mr Tshepo Peege and Advocate Mpati Lebakeng, effective from 23 June 2023. I wish them well in their appointment as we look forward to their contribution to the organisation, where they will no doubt enhance the skills set on the Board while also strengthening our oversight missions further. We look forward to reaching new heights with the SACAA Board. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS On behalf of the entire SACAA Board, I would like to express my appreciation to the former Minister of Transport, Mr Fikile Mbalula, for his support and leadership. I also take this opportunity to welcome the current Minister, Hon Sindisiwe Chikunga and the Deputy Minister, Hon Lisa Nkosinathi Mangcu, both of whom took their reins during the reporting period. They have taken up their responsibilities with great zeal and passion, while providing the SACAA with encouragement, guidance, and wisdom in ensuring that the Regulator executes its given mandate. We are also grateful for the continued financial support that is received from the Department of Transport as the Regulator nurses itself back to financial health. The financial support received from the Shareholder over the past three years has assisted the entity immensely as it continues to recover from the effects of the global pandemic. I would like to commend the Director-General of the Department, Advocate James Mlawu, as well as the Transport Portfolio Committee, for their support during the past financial year. I would also like to express my gratitude to my fellow Board members, past and present, for their leadership and guidance to the SACAA

Management throughout the reporting period. The continued progress of the SACAA for the 2022/23 financial year is evidence of their commitment. The SACAA Management and all employees under the leadership of the Director of Civil Aviation, have yet again demonstrated exceptional performance as witnessed by the achievements recorded in the financial year under review. For this, I would like to thank the SACAA team as we continue to forge ahead with the industry’s recovery. CONCLUSION The marked return of aviation to the transport industry, globally and locally, is cause for celebration. This does not mean that we are quite there yet – careful discretional spending remains the order of the day, and client service is key as the Regulator helps to nurture the aviation industry back to its former prosperity. Remaining prepared in terms of the risks that face the fragile aviation industry is still the best defence for the aviation industry. The Civil Aviation Pandemic Preparedness Plan of the SACAA is a guide to ensure the availability, continuity, and sustainability of critical air transport services. Regarding the financial sustainability of the entity, the growth of passenger numbers in the reporting period, as the impact of the global pandemic receded, gave the SACAA a financial boost even though passenger numbers remained 26% below pre-COVID levels. The continued financial support from the government assisted the Regulator in continuing with the uninterrupted delivery of its mandate, and I believe that this annual review will display another year of recovery, sustainability, and service delivery according to the track record of the Regulator.

18 I Annual Report 2022/23 I General Information