Inquests Act, 1959 (Act No. 58 of 1959)

10. When inquest to be held in public
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(1)Unless the giving of oral evidence is dispensed with under this Act or the judicial officer concerned directs otherwise under subsection (2), an inquest shall be held in public.

 

(2)If it appears to the judicial officer who holds an inquest that it would be in the interest of the safety of any witness or of good order or of the administration of justice that—
(a)the inquest be held behind closed doors; or
(b)the presence of any particular person is not desirable,

that judicial officer may direct that members of the public in general or of any particular category, or that particular person, shall not be present at the inquest or any part thereof.

 

(3)If it appears to the judicial officer who holds an inquest that the safety of any person may be endangered if he testifies at the inquest, that judicial officer may direct that the identity of that person shall not be revealed, or that it shall not be revealed for such period or except on such conditions as that judicial officer may determine.

 

(4)Any person who fails to comply with a direction under subsection (2) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R4 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

 

[Section 10 substituted by section 5 of Act No. 8 of 1991]