Post and Telecommunication-related Matters Act, 1958 (Act No. 44 of 1958)

Chapter VI : Telecommunications

89. Order of transmission of telephonic communications

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[Heading substituted by section 31 of Act No. 22 of 2011]

 

 

(1)Telephonic communications shall be sent for all persons alike, without favour or preference, and shall as far as practicable be transmitted in the order in which they are received, but telephonic communications relating to the preservation of the peace of the Republic or of the adjacent territories or the arrest of criminals or the discovery or prevention of crime or any other matter connected with the administration of justice shall have precedence over all other telephonic communications: Provided that no person shall be permitted to occupy a telecommunications line in such a manner as unreasonably to impede the speedy transmission of other telephonic communications.

[Subsection (1) substituted by section 31 of Act No. 22 of 2011]

 

(2)Any officer who wilfully offends against the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R2000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

[Subsection (2) amended by section 41(b) of Act No. 85 of 1991]