Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority Matsapha International ...

Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority Matsapha International Airport

P. O. Box D361, The Gables H126Tel: +268 2518 4390, 2518 4047, 258 4049

Fax: +268 2518 4199Email: [email protected]

Website: www.swacaa.co.sz

SWACAASWAZILAND CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY

THe OffICIAL SWACAA MAgAZINe VOL: 5 - JANUARY 2013

Our People GraduateACCOUNTABILITY IS OUR WAY OF LIFE

Hospice at Home and SWACAA- A life saving partnership

ICAO MISSION - Focus on flight safety

Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority

THe OffICIAL SWACAA MAgAZINe VOL. 5 - JANUARY 2013

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Contents

Sometimes, flying feels too godlike to be attained by man. Sometimes, the world from above seems too beautiful, too wonderful, too distant for human eyes to see . . . — Charles A. Lindbergh, The Spirit of St. Louis, 1953

OUR VISION AND OUR BUSINESS............................................................................4EDITOR’S CORNER........................................................................................................5FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL’S DESK...............................................................6ICAO MISSION – FOCUS ON FLIGHT SAFETY ...............................................8 - 9WE HAVE MOVED .......................................................................................................10LIFE COMING FULL CIRCLE FOR THE FINANCE DIRECTOR................12 - 13HOSPICE AT HOME AND SWACAA- A LIFE SAVING PARTNERSHIP............14PICTURE GALLERY................................................................................................15 -18INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION DAY 2012.....................................................19ACCOUNTABILITY IS OUR WAY OF LIFE.....................................................20 - 21THE SWAZILAND INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR IS OUR SHOW................22WORLD ROUTES 2012 - ABU DHABI......................................................................23EAST3ROUTE – OUR LIFE LINE ............................................................................24OUR PEOPLE GRADUATE .................................................................................26 - 27WHAT DO I DO AT SWACAA?...................................................................................28TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS ..............................................................................................30

CONTENTS


1. The Civil Aviation Authority Act 10, 2009.

2. Industry regulations in harmony with SADC.

3. A well run organisation responsive to clients and stakeholder needs.

4. People development to meet regulator and operator skills requirements.

5. Comprehensive guidance documents or inspector manuals.

6. Certification of the aviation industry.

7. Continuous safety and security oversight.

8. Resolution of safety and security concerns.

Our Business

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Our Vision“To attract and retain world air

traffic and related customers through our efficient, regulated,

safe and reliable business offerings to the aviation industry”.


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he year 2012 must be allowed to rest in peace for eternity. It features among the most difficult in mankind’s memory and economically is comparable with the years of The Great

Depression leading to and around the Second World War. Governments went bankrupt to the point of inability to provide basic services for citizens, threatening a disintegration of the Social Contract which exists between governments and the rank and file. Desperate austerity measures were imposed by some European Governments that had some citizens burning themselves to death – not as a form of protest but because there seemed to be no practical way out for these individuals.

For the first time in history (I think) a sitting US President, Barack Obama, had to cut short his Christmas holiday in Hawaii with his wife and daughters to go back to Washington DC. Not because the twin towers were burning. No. He needed to avert what the Americans call a “fiscal cliff ”. We are talking about the United States of America here, the world’s most glorious economy. Hallo!

But I have graced mother Earth long enough and I can claim some understanding of the ways of this world. To compensate for what cosmologists may dismiss as the human being’s insignificant lifespan in the universe, I took to reading from a tender age and I still do so in good measure. I have therefore lived for several millennia through books on many different subjects, be they history, scripture, politics, science, the arts or the law. I know as a matter of fact that hardship has the tendency to produce the best in man. It is during trying times that this species, commonly known as the human being, is at its most resilient and has the miraculous ability to overcome.

Woza 2013! I like the positive energy and resolve that has traditionally characterised new years. It is like new beginnings. There is resolve for triumph over the things that have cowed us in the past to remind us how vulnerable we are. Quite often we emerge victorious. Such is the human spirit. Our Minister for Finance Mr. Majozi Sithole has happily disclosed that tomorrow is certainly

going to be better than yesterday. This is no doubt going to be the best national news of the year. He was quick to caution, rightly so, that the country’s long-term financial solutions lie not in SACU “shares” but in sustainable national economic development. Here is to hope that the humbling experiences of 2012 will spur us all in our different ways - in our little corners to do the best we can and to say, “Never again”.

The idea behind the SWACAA publication is to tell the story of an industry that throughout the world is a key to economic development because of the wonders that it can do. We tell this story fully aware that ours is one of humble beginnings. But we believe in what we do and are confident that we are part of a solution, perhaps long-term in nature, but a solution to “sustainable national economic development”, as the Minister said, to be appreciated even by generations yet to come.

In this regard, we acknowledge the contribution to this cause that big names in corporate Swaziland have made to our ability to be seen and heard in the form of this publication in the four continents where we are presently in circulation: Sincephetelo MVA Fund, Swaziland Post & Telecommunications Corporation, Old Mutual, Swaziland Airlink. What is it that they say about standing on the shoulders of giants?

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Sabelo Dlamini - Editor

EDITOR’S CORNER


FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL’S DESK

e are on the threshold of history in the Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Industry. The Ministry of Economic Planning and Development has taken my principals –

the Board of Directors - to Sikhuphe International Airport to begin the process of partially handing over the airport to SWACAA. Sikhuphe is happening in 2013 and it is no longer a case of wishful thinking. This is an emotional time for me personally and I am privileged to have known the airport when it was a concept on a drawing board.

It is opportune at such an approaching milestone in the history of Swaziland’s aviation to reflect on our mandate and interaction with other stakeholders. The guiding document, the CAA Act No. 10 of 2009, states that the objective of the CAA is to:1. Regulate the aviation industry;2. Operate the country’s airports; 3. Promote air transport.In carrying out this mandate SWACAA liaises with international and national stakeholders, as follows: 1. Air Transport deals with market entry into the

aviation industry;2. Inspectorate (Safety & Security) deals with Critical

Elements, 6 (Certification of the industry); 7 (Continued surveillance) and 8 (Resolution of safety concerns – fines and corrections);

3. Airports deals with technical and commercial management of airports and airstrips;

4. Air Navigation Service deals with giving proper guidance to aircraft during takeoff, en-route and landing;

5. Ministry of Health liaises with SWACAA for control of pandemics through aviation;

6. Ministry of Home Affairs deals with the security of travel documents and cross border movement of people;

7. Royal Swaziland Police liaise with security personnel for border security and general state security;

8. Army (USDF) deals with National Security and Civil / Military coordination in Swaziland airspace;

9. Swaziland Tourism Authority and Swaziland Invest-ment Promotion Authority: marketing Swaziland jointly as no one comes only to an airport.

All these entities periodically partake in international conferences, workshops and seminars in a drive to harmonise world aviation practises. This is necessary because aviation is international by nature. An aircraft taking off from Matsapha Airport is in another’s country’s airspace within 10 minutes. Pilots must comply with each and every country’s air laws without fail. Equipment on board aircraft must match ground equipment at each state’s airports.

It takes endless meetings to harmonise in all areas that are necessary for safe flight. Such meetings are also used as information sharing and benchmarking platforms for all personnel in the different departments. SWACAA and in turn Swaziland can now boast of a pool of senior officials who truly understand what civil aviation is all about. This has been through international training, informative weekly meetings, external training and attendance at international aviation meetings and conferences. All this has been made possible through the cooperation SWACAA Executives have received from the Board and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, our parent Ministry.

Solomon Dube - Director General

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THe OffICIAL SWACAA MAgAZINe VOL. 4 - SepTeMbeR 2012


ICAO MISSION – FOCUS ON FLIGHT SAFETY

here has been a series of missions to Swazil-and by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The reasons are easy to understand: Swaziland is in the major process

of overhauling its civil aviation industry and making it compliant with world standards, as determined by the world civil aviation governing body, ICAO. It is a historical fact that there was an ICAO audit of the industry in Swaziland in 2007. This audit found that Swaziland was not complying with set standards by as wide a margin as 84%, meaning that out of 100 items, there were only 16 that we were possibly getting right.

The Government, having identified air transport as a vital and strategic necessity for the economy, made a commitment to implement ICAO’s findings and recommendations, essentially covering eight critical elements to resolve the situation. Probably the most significant of these decisions was to adopt ICAO’s recommendation to form a Civil Aviation Authority - SWACAA - and mandate it to carry out, on behalf of the state, all the duties necessary for

a professional civil aviation industry. SWACAA then developed a Corrective Action Plan which it presented to ICAO. The latter then presented to SWACAA and the Minister of Transport the ICAO Plan of Action for Swaziland. The two documents are a roadmap of how the two organisations are to collaborate in the task of getting Swaziland out of the woods.

Mr Milton Tumusiime and Mr George Njao came to Swaziland in August 2012 from the ICAO Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya on an assistance mission. Like others before them, they too are specialists in their areas. Their mission was on flight safety with the goal of providing guidance to SWCAA on how best to resolve safety concerns, using the ICAO Plan of Action for Swaziland. The mission worked very closely with flight OPS and Airworthiness Inspectors from SWACAA. According to Mr. Tumusiime, probably the most pressing need that was identified almost immediately by the team was an evident lack of skills to enable the officers to competently carry out the roles of inspectors. A workshop was held with the SWACAA team that was

ICAO Regional Officer Mr. George Njao (left), Regional Officer Flight Safety Mr. Milton Tumusiime and SWACAA Director General Mr. Solomon Dube

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especially designed to create awareness of the ICAO website and its usefulness in enabling each state to work on line and update the corrective action plan electronically, a feature which serves as a reporting tool. The mission assisted with arranging for the SWACAA team to obtain user IDs and passwords to enable access to the websites and update them at their convenience.

It was important from the mission’s point of view to satisfy itself that the team of inspectors for the new organisation understands the issues relating to their jobs that were raised in the 2007 audit. It was also crucial to make sure that the corresponding corrective measures that appeared in the Corrective Action Plan were also clearly understood. So the workshop was to make sure that ICAO and SWACAA were on the same page, sharing the same understanding of the problems as well as the solutions to them. The mission also emphasised the need for SWACAA to make sure that it remains relevant to ICAO annexes, noting that these are dynamic. It is very easy for a state’s regulations to quickly become archaic if it does not keep track of amendments. The mission again guided SWACAA to an online tracking tool which will immediately expose gaps between the national regulations and any amendments that may have been made to an annex at ICAO level. This enables SWACAA to determine the regulations that need to be promulgated in order to remain compliant with the annexes.

ICAO acknowledges that the size of the inspectorate team should be commensurate with the present size of the country’s civil aviation industry but emphasises the urgent need to equip the inspectors with specialised training as well as on-the-job training in order for them to cope with the associated safety oversight obligations. Once trained and sufficiently skilled there is also a need to develop remuneration strategies to ensure that skilled and experienced inspectors are not lost to other countries and markets.

The mission also provided guidance on how to develop Technical Guidance Material so that inspectors are aware of procedures and checklists that they need for the professional execution of their overseeing duties. SWACAA is still developing and customising them to

Swaziland’s conditions and situation. The organisation of the library was also a case in point. Assistance was provided on how to organise the library based on the ICAO model, basically so that anybody walking into the library will be able to access material with minimum need for assistance from the librarian.

In the area of licensing, certification, approval and authorisation, the mission noted that as a new entity, SWACAA was unsurprisingly still a long way away from being self-sufficient. It is still providing secondary services such as validating and converting foreign-issued licences without the ability to issue its own original certification. This is because it is yet to build the capacity, means and skills to determine its own systems, such as an examination board. The mission noted that SWACAA needed to identify contingency systems and plans and make sure that in the meantime, a strong backup system is readily available.

There is no doubt that ICAO is delighted with Swaziland’s resolve to implement the corrective measures. However, amidst all the other problems the main concern is the lack of skills and adequate experience for the SWACAA inspectorate to meaningfully perform its duties. They recommended continuous monitoring and assistance. Agreeing with the observation, the Director General has further made it a priority to source skilled personnel from the regional office on a mid-to-longer-term basis to provide on-the-job training to the staff: this on top of an aggressive training programme for the inspectorate.

ICAO Regional Officer Mr. George Njao and Regional Officer Flight Safety Mr. Milton Tumusiime


WE HAVE MOVED

Board Members being shown around the new offices by Welile Mhlanga, SWACAA Project Manager

Our new premises at Matsapha International Airport

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fter two and a half years operating from the Cooper Centre in Mbabane, the leadership of the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority took the decision to relocate its Head Office to Matsapha

International Airport. According to Mr. Solomon Dube the Director General, the move was approved by the Board of Directors during May 2012 and supported by the Minister of Public Works and Transport, the Honourable Ntuthuko Dlamini.

Mr. Welile Mhlanga, SWACAA’s Project Manager, said that he and his team received instructions from senior management to rehabilitate an existing structure, previously used as a workshop for the Department of Civil Aviation fleet, and convert it into an office complex.

The work began with the tender process advertisement in the media and ultimately the tender was awarded to Tee & Jay Investment. The project predominantly consisted of dry wall partitioning, tiling, carpeting, wiring, painting and air conditioning, among other items in the bill of quantities. It was estimated that the rehabilitation would take five months and the offices would be ready by September 1st. Even though Mr. Mhlanga believes that they were lucky to engage one of the most professional and competent companies, the work took two additional months and the offices were not to be ready until November 4th 2012. This was due to several unanticipated

issues typical of a building project, such as client-initiated changes in scope, weather conditions and occasional delays in the delivery of material imported from South Africa.

The Director General’s view is that the relocation was logical as soon as there was certainty of the airport ownership investing with SWACAA after all the transition issues were finalised.

“It is important that we get closer to the business and the people we are working with. It is when this happens that you appreciate details that would

otherwise not be picked up in passing”, he said. He also explained that the relocation of the head office has made a significant contribution to the building of a united team that is not separated by any physical and psychological barriers. The relocation has improved efficiency and delivery because people simply walk across to meet each other instead of making phone calls and taking long journeys to have issues resolved.

As far as the Minister of Public Works and Transport is concerned, SWACAA’s relocation to its own property instead of rented premises indicates an understanding of the country’s financial climate and sets an example worth emulating.

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To our premises inMATSAPHA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA)

OUR NEW CONTACT DETAILS:


WE HAVE MOVEDTo our premises in

MATSAPHA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA)

OUR NEW CONTACT DETAILS:

Tel: +268 2518 4390, +268 2518 4047, +268 2518 4049Fax: +268 2518 4199

E-mail: [email protected]: www.swacaa.co.sz


LIFE COMING FULL CIRCLE FOR THE FINANCE DIRECTOR

Mr. Samson Mbhamali SWACAA Finance Director

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r. Samson Madoda Mbhamali is an affable character, humble and reserved. In conversations, he prefers listening to talking. At first impression you would be

forgiven for assuming that he is a shy person, until you discover his infectious laughter and a mischievous sense of humour. He is relentless in his approach to financial control and yet so cooperative once he is convinced of the value to be derived out of the expenditure. His capacity to tolerate different personalities is legendary. He is famous for keeping a calm face and a smile even in the most adverse circumstances. Staff at SWACAA fondly refer to him by his clan name “Tholeni’’ or simply FD (for Finance Director).

It has been a long journey for Mbhamali since December 1975, when he was given his first job as a Trainee Air Traffic Controller at Matsapha International Airport.

He enjoyed it and worked at the tower for over a year. Asked why he resigned in 1977 he says: “We were waiting for scholarships so that we could proceed for training as fully-fledged air traffic controllers. At the same time I had applied for enrolment at the University to study Accounting. The University process happened first and when I got a letter of admission I resigned and went straight to University where I began my studies in Bachelor of Arts in Economics with majors in Economics and Accounting.” He added that 33 years later, in June 2010, he found himself with this new parastatal tasked with doing the business of the airport.

“Life is full of interesting ironies. After a very long professional journey I am back where I began. It has come full circle for me!” he said.

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The SWACAA Finance Director has amassed vast experience during his illustrious career in the finance discipline in different industries such as forestry, sugar, insurance and electricity generation and distribution.

Mr. Mbhamali spent 17 years at the Swaziland Electricity Company, seven of which were in the capacity of General Manager Finance. Talking about how he landed the job at SWACAA, he revealed that he saw an advertisement by a recruitment agency in the newspaper. It was clear to him that the job required a seasoned finance executive so he applied. He went through two interviews, and was also interviewed by the Board of Directors, before finally being approved by cabinet, as is the legal requirement for parastatal finance executives. Other than his work experience, Mbhamali has an impressive academic record with a string of professional qualifications such as Chartered Accountant and Chartered Company Secretary.

Talking about his job at SWACAA and his approach to finance control, Mbhamali said: “At all times you have to be fully aware that you are handling taxpayers’ money and give due respect to the manner in which you handle funds. We are a fully state-sponsored parastatal and do not have the luxury of meaningful revenue streams. So the taxpayers’ money with which we are entrusted must be utilised with that level of consciousness.”

Mr. Mbhamali’s job includes budgeting, consolidation and approval processes, as well as managing the funds once allocated, liaising with external Auditors and making financial reports to the Board of Directors and the Public Enterprises Monitoring Unit. He believes that his is a high pressure job but he is used to the pressures of the finance office and for him it is like being a fish in water. He concedes, though, that it can be tough sometimes as he finds himself having to do his best to satisfy all stakeholders with polarised expectations.

“Our priority is to correct all the critical elements that ICAO pointed out as our shortcomings as a state - the issues that got us into the European Union’s bad books - so that

we can trade with the world freely and also begin on a clean footing with Sikhuphe International Airport. We have to license both airports, recruit and train staff and aggressively raise our profile internationally as a tourist and business destination accessible by air. These issues cost a lot of money and there is no way you can avoid that expenditure,” stated the Finance Director.

The FD is in charge of a large team in the Finance Department and has the Finance Manager as his right hand man. Information Technology is also in the FD’s portfolio with the IT Manager reporting to him. The Board of Directors prefers to have Mbhamali as Acting Director General whenever the substantive Director General Mr Dube is away, and owing to Mr Dube’s busy schedule internationally, Mr Mbhamali is often loaded with the duties of the both DG and the FD. At times like those, he confesses that the pressure can be immense and work can go on until as late as nine o’clock at night, but he takes it all in his stride. “I am not complaining. It comes with the job”, he said.

Born and bred at Ekutsimleni in the Manzini Region, Samson Mbhamali is a family man. Having lived in Mbabane for the better part of his life since his days at Mater Dolorosa High School, he has recently built a palatial home at Hawane, a few kilometres to the north of Motshane where he resides and spends quality time with his family. He likes watching television with the family and is fond of wrestling.

He was attracted to Hawane by the magnificence of open spaces and green rolling hills. When he is not paying the bills and balancing the books at SWACAA, he is pursuing with a passion his love of farming, which this smallholding at Hawane enables him to do.

“Hawane is a very tranquil and peaceful area. I am able to determine my own pace here. Once I have climbed all the mountains from Matsapha to Hawane, I feel I am breathing fresh air from a good altitude and I am able to rest. I can say to myself, I am home.” He concluded.

“At all times you have to be fully aware that you are handling taxpayers’ money and give due respect to the manner in which you handle funds. We are a fully state-sponsored

parastatal and do not have the luxury of meaningful revenue streams. So the taxpayers’ money with which we are entrusted must be utilised with that level of consciousness.”

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he year 2012 will not be missed and will always be remembered for the pain and hardship caused to citizens by a failing economy. There have been no new jobs created: instead jobs have been

lost. Those lucky enough to still have jobs have not even had inflation cushioning salary raises. This has left people seriously cash strapped and sinking in debt.

Is it the English who say that for every dark cloud there is a silver lining, or words to that effect? What this means is that sometimes it takes catastrophes to get the best out of mankind. This must have been the spirit that propelled staff members of the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority to stand up and dig deeper into their shallow pockets to buy medicine and food for the terminally ill patients at Hospice at Home. The hospice, headed by Senator Thuli Mswane, is situated at Lusushwana in Matsapha. Its purpose is to look after the very sick of society: those who have been diagnosed with terminal illness such as cancer and all the complications caused by HIV, sugar diabetes, hypertension and many others, and who are bed ridden. According to Senator Thuli Msane, the two biggest problems facing the centre is lack of medicine and food for the patients.

“The cost of both medicine and food has sky-rocketed in the last couple of years and the international donor community has dwindled by the day. This has left us terribly exposed. We also do outreach programmes where we have patients that are on a home-based care program where the desperate food need becomes much more pronounced”, she said.

A donor gave a cow to Hospice at Home, which was used as a prize for a fund raising mini soccer tournament that was open to several social teams for a joining fee. SWACAA staff members paid the joining fee, participated in the tournament, beat all the teams and took the prize.

As Mzi Mthethwa later put it, “We had a big barbecue and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. But then we said to ourselves, it cannot end here,

because we have seen for ourselves that the need at the centre is so huge and overwhelming. An idea was born that we go back to Hospice sometime before Christmas with medicine and food”.

It was indeed a dream come true for the staff as on Friday the 21st December a large contingent of staff members delivered much needed medicine and food parcels to the Director at Hospice at Home.

SWACAA Director General Mr. Solomon Dube, acknowledging this great generosity by his staff had this to say: ”Bravo to all of you dear colleagues for what you have done. Sparing a thought for others regardless of your own circumstances is what life is about”. Elaborating on this initiative, he pointed out that as a parastatal, the Authority does not have the means to fund a comprehensive Corporate Social Investment Programme. He was, however, encouraged to see that staff and management of SWACAA did not want to wait for the company. “They enthusiastically supported a worthy cause, happy that they were doing so under the banner of the company”, he concluded.

HOSPICE AT HOME AND SWACAA – A LIFE SAVING PARTNERSHIP

Marketing and Corporate Affairs Director Mr. Sabelo Dlamini and Hospice at Home Director Mrs Thuli Msane

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PICTURE GALLERY

Hospice at Home & SWACAA Partnership

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PICTURE GALLERY

CIVIL AVIATION DAY & TRADE FAIR 2012

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OUR PEOPLE GRADUATE AT ATNS

PICTURE GALLERY

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WORLD ROUTES – ABU DHABI 2012

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PICTURE GALLERY


he 7th of December is Inter-national Civil Aviation Day. While this is not a holiday, it is a commemorative day

recognised by the United Nations and observed by the Civil Aviation Industry worldwide. Swaziland commemorated the day for the first time at Matsapha International Airport on Friday December 7th 2012 at a well organised event attended by the Board of Directors, staff, the local industry and members of the public and the media.

SWACAA Marketing and Communi-cations Director Sabelo Dlamini, who was also the Master of Ceremonies, described the event as the industry’s open day when it explains its purpose to members of the public.

“Civil Aviation Day is about the industry attempting to demystify itself, when it opens itself up to the public so it understands it better and is able to appreciate what is involved”, said Mr Dlamini. Members of the public arrived in their numbers and were treated to quality entertainment by Swaziland’s finest musicians, such as Flow D and the Royal Swaziland Police Band. There were also shows such as low level flying, flips and aircraft displays to enable members of the public to touch and feel the inside of an aircraft. A draw was held and lucky participants won great prizes, such as a 30 minute flight over Matsapha, Malkerns and Manzini, as well as introductory flying lessons.

The Director General, who was away on other business, was represented by the Finance Director Mr Samson Mbhamali, who spoke on his behalf. He narrated the history of civil aviation, tracing its origins to the famous Wright Brothers who, in 1903, invented the world’s first successful flying machine. He observed that since those humble beginnings the industry has proved to be the answer to the world’s need for a fast and efficient form of transport across the continents for people and cargo.

Mr Mbhamali noted that either by design or sheer coincidence SWACAA was also formed through legislation that became law on the 7th of December 2009 and that on this day the Authority also commemorated three years of existence. He added that while the work has not been easy, it has been made possible through the guidance of a knowledgeable Board of Directors and a dedicated Minister of Transport.

Also speaking was Ms Nanikie Mnisi, who represented the Minister of Public Works and Transport Mr. Ntuthuko Dlamini. The Minister paid tribute to the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) for the guidance that it has selflessly provided to SWACAA, in the quest to have Swaziland taken off the European Union’s black list. He acknowledged the Board, Management and staff for good work done over the past three years but encouraged them to put in even greater effort as the journey is still long and involved, especially with the imminent opening of Sikhuphe International Airport. He thanked management for organising an event such as Civil Aviation Day, to allow members of the public to engage with SWACAA.

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION DAY 2012

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Private Pilots Mr. Bongi Gwebu (left) and Mr. Faizal Mohammed (right) with Ms Ntombikayise Gwebu during the Civil Aviation Day

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ACCOUNTABILITY IS OUR WAY OF LIFEs a new company recently established in 2009, the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority was determined from the onset to lay a foundation that reflects modern methods of conducting

itself in doing business. It is a category A Class 1 parastatal that manages national assets: Matsapha and Sikhuphe airports combined are worth in excess of two billion Emalangeni. The stakes are high and call for great sensitivity on the part of those entrusted with their care.

The Director General, Mr. Solomon Dube said that the subject of finance and assets have to be viewed by everyone in broad terms so that every staff member understands that the protection of resources is not a matter for only the Finance Department.

“We must all be conscious of the fact that we are surrounded by valuable assets at our work stations every day. We have to exercise a high degree of care whenever we put these to use. There will be serious consequences for those who misuse and abuse company assets. We want to avoid wastage because of its ugly tendency to deteriorate resources at the expense of the taxpayer,” said Mr. Dube.

Mr. Samson Mbhamali, the Finance Director said that SWACAA is one of the most regulated companies he has ever worked for. “When we established our finance policies we were using the Government procurement provisions as a guide, but we really benefited from the combined experiences of the management team, which came from different institutions and backgrounds. I believe that our policies are among the best and most practical,” he said.

Mr Mbhamali narrated how every policy is presented to senior management in its draft form. It is debated, corrected at that forum and submitted to the Board of Directors for approval as a policy to inform and guide SWACAA operations in that respect. It is only after signed approval by the Director General and the Board that a policy may be distributed to staff for implementation. Mr Mandla Ngwenya, the Finance Manager reporting to the Finance Director, is

the custodian of all SWACAA Finance Policies and is tasked with enforcing their daily application. His view is that the successful implementation of any policy, especially a Finance Control Policy, relies on it being known and understood by its users. The understanding, according to Ngwenya, is the most important part so that people should not view a policy as “this thing that is there to deny us access to spending company money”. He added that if this happens, people then look for ways of circumventing the policy and that leads to more serious problems.

According to Ngwenya, the history of putting policies in place at SWACAA was through employee workshops as soon as a number of policies had been approved by the Board. Employees, as the main users, had to be familiarised with them and the importance to all parties of adherence to such policies. “We wanted a total buy-in. You may not like the policy but at least understand why we need to have it, and understand also that you cannot opt out of it for as long as you are around,” he stated.

Mr. Mandla Ngwenya SWACAA Finance Manager

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The policies are sent electronically to every employee’s computer for ease of reference. As far as Mr. Ngwenya is concerned, people in general do not like rules but he is happy with the awareness and the effort that his fellow staff members are making in co-operating with his office. He believes he has noticed an understanding among colleagues that the more we do things correctly in adherence with policies, the less likely we are to encounter delays in getting business done and transactions approved.

Talking about how elaborate the depart-ment policies can be, the Finance Director, Mr. Samson Mbhamali made an example of the Procurement Policy, which in his opinion is the most crucial as it affects almost everyone on a daily basis. He said that SWACAA is an open tender environment. The Finance Director is the Chairman of the Tender Committee and every purchase in excess of E10 000 must be approved by the Tender Committee, which sits at least once a week or more frequently depending on the need. Tenders are advertised in the media including on the company website. After a meeting of the Tender Committee the Finance Director meets with the Director General to brief him on the tenders awarded. This is important so that the Director General is aware of procurements that are about to be made before the Company commits to Third Parties. Once the Director General has been briefed and has approved the tender awards, the Finance Director will issue a purchase order to the service provider if the goods or services being procured are less than E250,000 in value. If goods or services are worth more than this amount but less than E500,000 the purchase order must be signed by the Director General. Tender awards in excess of E500,000 are approved by the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Ngwenya clarified that tenders above the E500,000 threshold are adjudicated by the Tender Committee independently of the Board, but management has no authority to commit to the service provider. The Board must satisfy itself first and then management can award.”

Mr. Mbhamali also cited The Business Travel Policy as one of those that the Authority had to get right. He said that there is a sizeable amount of travel in the industry with employees travelling for training and business.

“Travel is a sensitive topic with serious financial implications. If we could help it we would avoid it, but the reality is that our success depends on other stakeholders beyond our borders. So with the Travel Policy we seek to maintain a healthy balance between the basic needs of the travelling employee and the reality of scarce resources. We hope we succeed”, he said. He added that every trip outside the country must be approved by the Director General and be endorsed by the Chairman of the Board.

Mr Mbhamali revealed that there have already been two audits on the affairs of the Authority and both came out with unqualified reports. To him these reports are an encouraging sign that the Authority is on the right path.

Mr. Samson Mbhamali- SWACAA Finance Director

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“Travel is a sensitive topic with serious financial implications. If we could help it we would avoid it, but the reality is that our success depends on other stakeholders beyond our borders”.


THE SWAZILAND INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR IS OUR SHOW

he Swaziland International Trade Fair has for several decades been the Kingdom of Swaziland’s top trade and exhibition forum. It has continued to grow over the years, attracting exhibitors from

neighbouring countries and North Africa as well as Asia. For Swaziland businesses large and small, the International Trade Fair is the place to be.

Since its establishment, the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority has been a keen participant in this premier local show and 2012 was no exception. The Trade Fair presented an opportunity for SWACAA to showcase opportunities for local business people with the imminent opening of Sikhuphe International Airport.

Individual members of the public flocked to the SWACAA exhibition stand to get information and details about progress at the airport and the terminal building design, as well as the requirements to prepare for businesses of their choice. A team of staff at the stand was always ready to give helpful information to assist decision making on the part of local business people.

According to Goodman Kunene, one of the team of staff members who was manning the stand at the show, Swazis are keen to understand the business of airports, aircraft and airlines. Younger Swazis wanted to know about careers and prospects for bursaries in order to pursue dreams of joining the industry as professionals later in life.

A significant number of people inquired about progress made by SWACAA in having the European Union ban lifted and airlines willing to fly to Sikhuphe. It is after all a show and a great opportunity to network and exchange ideas with Swazis, as well as to get the views of people outside the industry.

The 2012 International Trade Fair was organised by SIPA and so there was a lot of business presentation time allocated. Presentations by various businesses from other African States were made and different opportunities in Swaziland were also highlighted by various industries and institutions. SWACAA was also privileged to be given an opportunity to explain air access and elaborate on Sikhuphe International Airport business opportunities.

The Trade Fair ended with a workshop on the newly established national brand of Africa’s New Promise, while organisations that are involved in marketing the country in different capacities were educated on the correct use of the brand. As always, the Swaziland International Trade Fair offered ideal conditions for a nation to understand itself better.

Mr. Goodman Kunene at the Trade Fair

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The Trade Fair presented an opportunity for SWACAA to showcase opportunities for local business people with the imminent opening of Sikhuphe International Airport.

SWACAA was also privileged to be given an opportunity to explain air access and elaborate on Sikhuphe International Air-port business opportunities.

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WORLD ROUTES 2012orld Routes is the supreme forum for Airlines and Airports throughout the world. Organised by the

world renowned UBM company based in Manchester England, World Routes has become the premiere industry forum where the Civil Aviation Industry, tourism promotion boards and Investment Authorities meet to market their products and services to the core industry captains and decision makers.

Since its establishment and coming into office The Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority has been a regular feature in this crucial marketing forum. According to the Director General Mr. Solomon Dube Swaziland has been a participant in the Routes Marketing Forum well before SWACAA came into being. It was in the marketing strategy developed by the consultants that had been engaged by the Ministry of Economic planning and Development to assist with the International marketing of Sikhuphe International Airport. The consultants helped identify ways and means of getting Swaziland and her new airport in the agenda of airlines. Hence the idea of World Routes was proposed and approved. Mr. Dube remembers a Swaziland delegation attending World Routes for the first time in 2008 in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Swaziland hosted the African version of Routes also organised by the same company in May 2010, a meeting that was graced by His Excellency the Honourable Prime Minister Dr Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini. A number of Airlines, tourism boards and airport companies attended the meeting. For Swaziland the major benefit was to get people to have a first-hand experience of the country and to actually view Sikhuphe at the time still under construction. Attending World Routes later in September 2010, with the marketing of the airport for the first time under SWACAA, it became obvious that a lot of good work had been done before in terms of promoting Swaziland and Sikhuphe International Airport to the global Civil Aviation and Travel Industry. Meaningful progress was

made and two key Airlines considered to be giants in Africa gave the Swaziland team audience and ever since dialogues and contacts have been maintained.

World Routes 2012, held in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, saw strong indications of willingness to try Destination Swaziland, at least by the captains of the travel and transport industry in Abu Dhabi. A delegation from the Abu Dhabi Emirate visited the Swaziland stand and initiated air service agreement discussions with Swaziland, culminating in the signing of a Bi-lateral Air Service Agreement Memorandum of Understanding between the two States. While it is a fact that we have lost some potentially good opportunities with the delayed completion of Sikhuphe International Airport, it is also correct to state that the airlines industry wants to hear that it is complete and ready for use. The completion of the airport will be good news for all concerned as marketers and airlines will for the first time be engaging with each other with certainty of a complete facility.

At the SWACAA stand a delegation from the Abu Dhabi Emirate in a meeting with Sabelo Dlamini

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The completion of the airport will be good news for all concerned as marketers and airlines will for the first time be engaging with each other with certainty of a complete facility.

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he East3Route is an example of what neighbours can achieve together, putting aside whatever petty differences they might have to focus on what may be profitable to them. Started in 2011

at the initiative of the Kwazulu Natal Provincial Government, the East3Route is a tourism product under development, involving and incorporating Kwazulu Natal, Mozambique and Swaziland. While in its first phase, the excursion started in Kwazulu Natal, moved to Pont D’our in Mozambique and ended in Swaziland. The second phase in 2012 began in Swaziland and proceeded to Maputo in Mozambique before ending in style in Northern Kwazulu Natal.

Championed by the three ministers of tourism from the three areas, the East3Route excursion is undertaken by all stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry from the three states. The idea is to develop this product and properly understand it, so that once it is fully developed, it may be aggressively marketed abroad.

Clearly articulated by its sponsor, MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu from KZN, investment is being made in educating the stakeholders about the product so that when, for example, a Mozambican marketer talks about the East3Route in Sao Paulo, he will have marketed not only Mozambique but Swaziland and KZN as well. Thus in the long run the costs of marketing to the world will invariably be shared by all three entities.

According to Minister for Tourism and Environ-mental Affairs Mr Mduduzi Small Joe Dlamini, the priority for Swaziland is to increase the number of people visiting our part of the world and coming to our Kingdom in the process. This is also a gap for SWACAA. Mr. Sifiso Mnisi, SWACAA Director of Air Transport, who is

also in charge of product development, participated in the excursion for the first time in 2012. He said that the challenge for Swaziland, which we identified as we interacted with Airline Executives across the globe, is the seemingly small number of people travelling to and from the kingdom.

“Packages such as the East3Route are the trend in travel because of their multi-destination orientation. We therefore want to say that let us have Swaziland as the first point of call for consumers of this product. This will increase the number of visitors and certainly create viability in air service”, he said.

The 2012 tour was bigger and more successful for Swaziland as more time was spent in the kingdom and many products were sampled. The East3Route also helps remove stereotypes and myths perpetuated by false, biased and sensational media reporting. It offers neighbours opportunities to make their own judgment and to learn more about each others’ products to be able to market them separately and successfully abroad, as well as encourage tourism between neighbours. The East3Route is indeed a golden opportunity for us all and for Swaziland’s travel statistics growth. This triggers a lot more benefits, such as sustainable Air Transport.

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EAST3ROUTE- Our Life Line

Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Mr. Small Joe Dlamini with Mr. Mike Mabuyakhulu and other dignitaries

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he day that everyone has been waiting for is finally here: the 12th of October 2012. It is devoted to celebrating an important point in the lives of seven SWACAA employees. Class attendance

and examinations are finally over, scruffiness is replaced with smart suits and everyone is excited about reaching the finishing line of a long marathon. Most of all, this is a time of unrestrained optimism. The weather is not perfect - it’s raining and chilly but this fails to dampen the spirits of the graduates.

We are at Bonaero Park, Kempton Park, South Africa where The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) Aviation Training Academy (ATA) in conjunction with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is hosting its 9th IATA Diploma graduation.

About ATNSThe ATNS Training Academy is a division of ATNS, which provides a full range of Air Traffic Services, Technical Support and related training. Since April 2000, the ATA has proudly trained more than 9000 delegates.

The Academy employs top instructors and personnel to manage the institution’s state of the art equipment and facilities. It is uncompromising in the maintenance of its

Quality Management System. This is done in accordance with the ISO 9001:2000 Code of Practice.

During this event, 53 students were conferred with the prestigious and sought-after International Aviation Manage- ment Diploma as follows:• Civil Aviation Management;• Safety Management in Civil Aviation;• Aviation Security Management and;• Air Traffic Services Management.

Seven of the graduates are from the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority and the rest are South African. Mr Simo Shongwe, Mr Phillip Bhembe, Mr Simiso Nkambule and Mr Mduduzi Dlamini received Diplomas in Safety Management in Civil Aviation, while Mr Jabulani Magagula, Mr Cyprian Sikhondze and Mr Canaan Msibi received Diplomas in Aviation Security Management.

Representing the Director General, Miss Busisiwe Gumedze said: “In order for the Authority to be compliant with ICAO set standards, such training is fundamental. As an institution we are proud to be part of the ATNS family and we believe that this will not only improve the skills of individual employees but will also ensure continued compliance with aviation safety and security standards”.

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Front row from left to right, Mr. Simo Shongwe, Mr. Mduduzi Dlamini, Mr. Phillip BhembeBack row from left to right, Mr. Cyprian Sikhondze, Mr. Canaan Msibi, Mr. Jabulani Magagula during the IATA Graduation

OUR PEOPLE GRADUATE

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Mr Jabulani Magagula, Head of Aviation Security (AVSEC) said: “We live in a world of a changing landscape of criminal attacks on civil aviation. We have to be on the alert all the time. Such training is vital for assuring efficient and compliant operations while complying with national and international legislation”.

In a nutshell, the Diploma in Safety Management qualification enhances one’s ability to gain a solid understanding of ICAO Safety Management Systems and how to implement this systematic management approach on a day-to-day basis with emphasis on quality management, safety overseeing and a comprehensive overview of human factors in creating business and operational efficiencies. On a day-to-day basis, this is achieved among other means, through industry certification, surveillance, enforcement, inspecting and continuous monitoring of relevant manuals in compliance with the CAA Regulations.

In order to achieve quality management, there must be proper record keeping, procedures must be followed consistently and there must correct usage of necessary tools and equipment for high quality end products.

For business and operational effi-ciencies, the environment must be conducive and the industry should be equipped with trained personnel. Safety management is also about keeping a balance between safety and customer satisfaction.

Meanwhile back at the graduation, the officials’ speeches made everyone glow. Graduates beamed with self fulfilment and realised that indeed it was worthwhile. The Academy had the satisfaction of bringing yet another group through the system.

Addressing the graduates, Mr. Thabani Mthiyane, ATNS Acting CEO said: “The ATNS vision is to be a major contributing partner in ensuring aviation safety in Africa through its training efforts. The institution is

committed to world best practises and undertakes to give each client the skills and knowledge to successfully take on the challenges faced by providers of air traffic control and technical services”.

Mr Dumsani Sangweni, Executive Member in the CEO’s office thanked the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority for the relationship it has sustained over the years and for choosing the Academy for training purposes.

“In order for one to succeed there should be a combination of hard work and effort. Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm”, he concluded.

Each graduate will go on to have a life of joy and pain, of positive and negative experiences. The future always seems more promising than the present, and the present on graduation day was pretty good!

To all the graduates - all the best!

Mr Jabulani Magagula receiving his certification during the Graduation Ceremony

In order for one to succeed there should be a combination of hard work and effort. Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm”


WHAT DO I DO AT SWACAA?

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r. Garnet Simelane is Head of SWACAA’s Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) Department, which deals with information about Designate Authorities

that work hand in hand with and form an integral part of the airport.

Simelane’s main job is to make sure that they do research on aeronautical information for SWACAA and publish it officially in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). His key word is ‘research and publication of information based on facts, not just hearsay!’

Such information consists of how the Designate Authorities operate, their contact details, information on how to get to Swaziland and also en-route information based on airways and levels of flying. They also get information from outside Swaziland, especially from South Africa, which he terms as “foreign information which is transmitted through Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN)”.

Mr Simelane is fully aware that his is a behind-the-scenes job and therefore less known yet so vital to airport operations. Very few people are trained to do this kind of job, and he revealed that his career in this field started while he was working under the

Ministry of Public Works and Transport. He was sent to school in Cairo, Egypt in 1992 to do Basic Radio Teletype Operations and worked with Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Networks. Shortly after that, he went to Singapore and did a course on Aeronautical Information Service.Garnet’s day to day job is to check that all the equipment at BRIEFING, which is now known as the AIM Department, is in a state of operational readiness. Part of his job involves attending to queries, gathering new information for publication, and editing information if any changes arise.

“It is important to update infor-mation every day, especially when new data is gathered” he empha-sised.

Simelane added that they do what is known as notum summary on a monthly basis. This is a notice to all airmen about what is happening at an airport, and alerting them to issues that might cause incidents or accidents. A classic example he made was of the recent painting of the runway at Matsapha International Airport and he highlighted that such information is published prior to the activity taking place to prevent incidents from occurring.

The country has an obligation to provide this information and SWACAA must do it in terms of the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2009 which provides that “the state shall provide Aeronautical Information Service”. It is also adopted and adapted from ICAO Annex 15-Aeronautical Information Service and provided for by the Aeronautical Information Manual. Annex 15 is referral point of the AIM Department’s operation.

Simelane’s aspirations for the department and SWACAA as a whole is to see the AIS growing to new heights and especially developing technologically, as well as to have more advanced digital systems and equipment to meet ICAO standards.

Mr. Garnet Simelane- Head of Aeronautical Information Management Department

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TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS

n the last issue of our series of “Tips for Travellers” articles, we discussed the traveller’s two bags – the hand luggage and the main bag - and considered the contents of these bags against the requirements

of airport security. We also discussed the recommended dress code for minimising inconvenience caused by electronic security scans. We reminded each other why it is so important that the traveller has to be at the airport two hours before departure. Today we attempt to go through the airport and depart but before we do that let us consider the plight of the sick traveller:

Prescribed medicine: As a general civil aviation rule, liquids and gels in excess of 100mls are not allowed past the security checkpoint. However in case of prescribed medication, travellers need to carry their doctors’ prescriptions with them to be able to pass through without hindrance. In fact a doctor’s prescription is always required when carrying medication.

Airline check-in: There is a trend in the airline business to book in more passengers than the capacity of the plane. The British Airways official policy is to book in as much as 10% more passengers as airline executives do not want to risk an empty seat. This practice, though seemingly unfair to the passengers, is widespread. A booking is therefore an indication that you will be travelling with the airline but the confirmation is actually when you physically present yourself on the day of departure. This emphasises the point that it is prudent to arrive at the airport early because it is now a first-come-first-served situation.

Boarding Pass: Your Airline representative at the counter will ask for your passport and in turn issue you with a boarding pass. If you are transiting at another airport before your final destination, ask to be checked into your final destination. The boarding pass is your ticket for the aircraft and it contains useful information, such as your seat number, your boarding gate (where your aircraft is

parked) and boarding time. Check the boarding time which at this stage is more important than the departure time! The former is usually much earlier than seems reasonable. The writer has witnessed many passengers being left behind at airports (having already been checked in!) because they have made the mistake of assuming that the boarding time is the same as the departure time. Be warned.

Luggage Check-in: Your main luggage is also checked in: the process is as involved as your checking in and is linked to you. Make sure you ask that it be checked into your final destination to save time and minimise the risk of loss. The airline representative will issue you with your luggage tag, which should be kept safe and handy. It contains important information about your bag that your airline will need to trace it in case it gets lost or for some reason you do not get it at your destination.

In the next issue, we continue with our journey from the boarding call. Until then, happy travels!

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