South African Human Rights Commission Act, 2013 (Act No. 40 of 2013)NoticesSouth African Human Rights Commission Complaints Handling ProceduresChapter 7 : Conducting of Hearings24. Nature of hearings |
| (1) | A hearing is inquisitorial in nature and the Panel must conduct the hearing in a formal manner. |
| (2) | Any party may, through the Chairperson of the Panel, put questions to any witness at the hearing. |
| (3) | The Panel may at any stage of hearing, in addition to anything provided for in the Act— |
| (a) | put any question to a witness; |
| (b) | rephrase a question put to a witness by a person or a party; |
| (c) | clarify any uncertainties in respect of any evidence given; and |
| (d) | elicit information from any witness. |
| (4) | The Panel before whom a person is summoned to appear or to whom a person is required to deliver any book, document or other object— |
| (a) | may interrogate and administer an oath to or accept an affirmation from the person named in the summons; |
| (b) | may retain any such book, document or other object for examination for a period not exceeding two months, or for such longer period as the Panel, on application and on good cause shown, may allow; and |
| (c) | must inform a summoned person that he or she is not obliged to answer any question if the answer would be self-incriminating. |