Transport minister Dullah Omar said on Friday he supported the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) suspension of its chief executive, Trevor Abrahams, calling on Abrahams to co-operate with the investigation.
Abrahams was placed on indefinite compulsory leave of absence on Thursday following allegations of misconduct and impropriety against him.
”The board (of the CAA) has been in discussion with me and it informed me of its decision to place Mr Abrahams on compulsory leave,” the minister said in a statement.
He said no charges against Abrahams had been formulated as yet. His suspension gave the board an opportunity to investigate possible improprieties.
The statement read: ”Minister Omar supports the decision of the board and has called upon Mr Abrahams to co-operate fully with investigations. On the recommendation of the board, Mr Abrahams retains his position as Commissioner of Civil Aviation.”
Omar would announce further details once the board had completed its investigation.
CAA representative Trevor Davids said on Thursday he would only be able to divulge the details of the allegations once a forensic report into the matter had been completed.
The Mail&Guardian newspaper, sister publication of this website, reported last week that Abrahams shared a private events management company with his fiancee. It said the company had tendered for, and benefited from, CAA contracts.
In June 2000 Abrahams was suspended as CEO of the CAA after being arrested on charges related to a pilot’s licence scam.
A whistle-blower in the case alleged that some pilots were involved in a scam to buy examination papers for their Airline Transport Pilot licences. Abrahams was alleged to have known about the matter and done nothing about it.
However in March 2001 Abrahams was reinstated after the state withdrew charges of fraud, corruption, obstruction of justice and contravention of the Aviation Act.
It was found that there was not enough evidence in the state’s case to warrant a trial. After the withdrawal of the charges the board unanimously decided not to reprimand or institute disciplinary action against Abrahams.
Davids said on Thursday Abrahams would still perform his duties as commissioner of the CAA. The commissioner oversees the aviation regulations.
Captain Sakhile Nyoni, who is the general manager of flight operations at the CAA, has been appointed acting CEO. – Sapa