Closer cooperation between South Africa’s rail and aviation safety regulators will allow the two organisations to share regulatory expertise, oversight methodologies, safety data and lessons from investigations.
The agreement also creates a coordinated framework for addressing cross-modal risks such as cybersecurity threats, climate-related disruptions, critical incidents, unauthorised drone activity near railway infrastructure and shared communication spectrum.
The MOU was signed in Centurion on 10 July 2026.
The signatories were RSR Chief Executive Officer Brian Monakali and SACAA Director of Civil Aviation Poppy Khoza.
The agreement will remain in force for 36 months.
A joint Steering Committee will meet quarterly to oversee implementation.
An annual programme of action will support agreed objectives and performance areas.
Cooperation will cover regulation, oversight, risk management, training, research and innovation.
Technical Committees may be established for specialised areas of cooperation.
The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation between South Africa’s rail and aviation safety regulators.
The agreement was signed at SACAA’s offices in Centurion on 10 July 2026 by RSR Chief Executive Officer Brian Monakali and SACAA Director of Civil Aviation Poppy Khoza.
Through the MOU, the two regulators have formalised a collaborative working relationship covering areas of mutual interest and concurrent jurisdiction. The agreement establishes a framework for ongoing cooperation, knowledge sharing and joint initiatives intended to improve safety outcomes across the transport sector.
Cooperation will include the exchange of information on regulatory frameworks and safety management systems, as well as the sharing of best practices relating to risk-based oversight, certification, licensing and accreditation. The regulators will also collaborate on the development of regulations and standards.
In the areas of safety oversight and risk management, the RSR and SACAA plan to share inspection, audit and enforcement methodologies. They will exchange safety performance data and lessons arising from investigations and safety occurrences, while jointly identifying emerging risks and developing appropriate mitigation strategies.
The partnership also provides for coordinated responses to cross-modal safety risks, including cybersecurity threats, climate-related operational disruptions, critical incident management, unauthorised drone activity near railway infrastructure and the shared use of communication and radio spectrum.
Capacity-building initiatives will include technical exchanges between experts, joint workshops, training programmes and shared learning platforms. The collaboration is also intended to support human capital development and improve regulatory maturity within both organisations.
Further areas of cooperation include joint research, safety innovation projects and enhanced stakeholder engagement and communication on matters of common strategic interest.
Implementation will be overseen by a Steering Committee comprising representatives from both regulators. The committee will meet quarterly to monitor progress and identify further opportunities for collaboration.
An annual programme of action will support the agreed objectives and key performance areas, while specialised Technical Committees may be established to manage specific areas of cooperation.
The MOU will remain in force for 36 months from its commencement date and may be renewed or amended by mutual agreement.
Through closer cooperation, the RSR and SACAA aim to improve safety performance, promote regulatory innovation, strengthen preparedness for emerging risks and make more effective use of their regulatory expertise and resources. The partnership is also intended to support safer, more resilient and sustainable transport systems in South Africa.
The RSR is established under the Railway Safety Act, 2024 (Act No. 30 of 2024) and is responsible for overseeing and regulating railway safety in South Africa. SACAA is established under the Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No. 13 of 2009) and is responsible for regulating, controlling and promoting civil aviation.
