South Africa Reports Nearly 6,800 Women Among 33,500 Licensed Aviation Professionals

South Africa – South Africa’s Department of Transport, citing South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) licensing data at the 2026 National Aviation Gender Summit in Pretoria, reported that women now account for just over 20% of the country’s licensed aviation professionals and more than one-quarter of its student pilot population.

• South Africa now has more than 33,500 licensed aviation professionals, including almost 6,800 women, according to figures presented by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy. Two years earlier, the comparable figures were just over 25,800 licensed professionals and approximately 5,000 women.
• Women now represent more than 25% of South Africa’s student pilot population. Creecy said the policy focus therefore needs to extend beyond attracting women into aviation toward ensuring they complete training, enter employment and progress into senior technical and operational roles.
• The Airports Company of South Africa Aviation Academy (ACSA) trained more than 6,400 aviation professionals during the 2024/25 financial year, including more than 2,500 women. In the same period, 44% of bursaries went to young women studying areas including aeronautical engineering, aircraft-related engineering and pilot training, alongside other technical programmes.
• More than 70% of SACAA’s current internship intake is female, according to the figures presented at the summit. SACAA also runs programmes intended to support entry into aviation occupations including piloting, aircraft maintenance, aeronautical engineering, airport management and flight procedure design.
• Air Traffic and Navigation Services recruited 25 young people for air traffic services training during the first quarter of the current financial year, of whom 13, or 52%, were women. Five of the six candidates undergoing technician training are women, while women represent 51% of ATNS’s wider Air Traffic Service staff complement.
• South African Airways had 289 pilots as of August 7, 2026, including 54 women, equivalent to 18.7% of its pilot workforce. The carrier also reported 368 female and 184 male cabin crew members.
• The August 13 National Aviation Gender Summit was organised by SACAA and targeted more than 300 women in aviation, bringing together industry participants around career development, representation and gender equality across the sector.

Source: South Africa’s Department of Transport