National Health Act, 2003 (Act No. 61 of 2003)RegulationsRegulations regarding the rendering of Forensic Pathology Service, 2007Forensic Pathology Service |
| 3. | The relevant member of the Executive Council of a province must within national policy and in terms of these regulations ensure that a Forensic Pathology Service is established within the respective provincial Department of Health. |
| 4. | The Service contemplated in regulation 3 includes, but is not limited to— |
| (a) | carrying out a scene of death investigation, and where appropriate, in consultation with an investigating officer; |
| (b) | obtaining information that is relevant to the medico-legal investigation of a death; |
| (c) | taking responsibility for the collection of a body and removal from the scene; |
| (d) | taking custody of a body from the scene of death until released for burial or cremation, and the processes attached thereto; |
| (e) | maintaining evidence relating to a body and any associated items at all times; |
| (f) | assisting, as far as is possible, the process of identification of the deceased; |
| (g) | conducting a post mortem investigation, including external and internal examination of a body and harvesting of material, tissue or fluids for evidentiary or diagnostic purposes; |
| (h) | requesting and conducting appropriate special investigations; |
| (i) | providing medico-legal reports, expert testimony and opinions; |
| (j) | archiving documents, specimens and related materials; |
| (k) | collecting, reviewing and analysing related data to determine trends or prevalence of incidents of unnatural death; and |
| (l) | providing information and advice to health or other government authorities or departments. |