Older Persons Act, 2006 (Act No. 13 of 2006)Chapter 5 : Protection for Older Persons28. Procedure for bringing alleged abuser of older person before magistrate |
| (1) | If a social worker or a health care provider submits or makes a written statement under oath or affirmation to a public prosecutor, and in such statement it is alleged that any person within the area of jurisdiction of the magistrate’s court to which that public prosecutor is attached abuses an older person, that public prosecutor may, subject to subsection (2), request the clerk of that court to issue a summons informing such first-mentioned person of the allegations against him or her and calling upon him or her to appear, at a time and place specified therein, before a magistrate within that area. |
| (2) | A public prosecutor may not in terms of subsection (1) request a clerk of the court to issue a summons unless he or she has obtained from the social worker or health care provider a report on the alleged abuse of the older person concerned. |
| (3) | If on the grounds of a statement under oath or affirmation referred to in subsection (1) the magistrate has reason to suspect that a social worker or health care provider will be prevented or prohibited from going into or entering upon the place where the older person concerned resides to make the necessary investigation for the purposes of a report referred to in subsection (2), or if such social worker or health care provider has been prevented or prohibited from doing so, the magistrate concerned may on the application of the public prosecutor issue a warrant authorising the social worker or health care provider to go into or enter upon that place to make such investigation. |
| (4) | A magistrate may in a warrant issued by him or her in terms of subsection (3) authorise the social worker or health care provider to take a police official with him or her for the purposes of an investigation referred to in the said subsection. |
| (5) | The Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977), applies, with the necessary changes, in relation to the form and manner of service of summonses in criminal cases in lower courts, the time to be allowed to a person summoned to appear, and the manner in which persons who have been summoned to appear may be dealt with if they fail to appear or to remain in attendance, as required, in respect of summonses issued in terms of this section. |
| (6) | A person is guilty of an offence if that person— |
| (a) | obstructs or hinders a social worker or a health care provider in the performance of his or her functions in terms of this section; or |
| (b) | refuses to furnish to a social worker or a health care provider any information in connection with the alleged abuse of an older person at his or her disposal which such officer requires for the purposes of an investigation referred to in subsection (3). |