Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Act 43 of 1998

Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Act, 1998 (No. 43 of 1998)

GENERAL EXPLANATORY NOTE:
[ ]  Words in bold type in square brackets indicate omissions from existing enactments.
__ Words underlined with a solid line indicate insertions in existing enactments.

Act

• to amend the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1992, so as
  • to further regulate the registration of births;
  • to regulate the registration of deaths where a medical practitioner is not available to certify the cause of death;
  • to further regulate the publishing of the alteration of forenames or surnames; and
• to provide for matters connected therewith.

BE IT ENACTED by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, as follows:—

Amendment of section 9 of Act 51 of 1992, as amended by section 4 of Act 41 of 1995

1. Section 9 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1992 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), is hereby amended by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (3):

‘‘(3A) Where the notice of a birth is given after the expiration of one year from the date of birth, the birth shall not be registered unless the notice of the birth complies with the prescribed requirements for a late registration of birth.’’.

Amendment of section 14 of Act 51 of 1992

2. Section 14 of the principal Act is hereby amended by the addition of the following paragraph to subsection (1), the existing subsection becoming paragraph (a) thereof:

‘‘(b) Where notice of a person’s death cannot be given by means of a certificate mentioned in section 15(1) or (2) because a medical practitioner did not attend him or her before his or her death, or was not available to examine the corpse, any person who was present at the death, or who became aware thereof, must give notice of the death in the prescribed manner, and the person contemplated in section 4 must deal with such notice in accordance with the prescribed procedure.’’.

Amendment of section 27 of Act 51 of 1992

3. Section 27 of the principal Act is hereby amended by the addition of the following subsection, the existing section becoming subsection (1):

‘‘(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply where the alteration was authorized in the prescribed manner under a witness protection plan.’’.

Short title

4. This Act shall be called the Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Act, 1998.

Commencement

4 September 1998