1. Die volgende artikels word hierby na artikel 51 van die Wet op Landdroshowe, 1944, ingevoeg: 5 4 ‘‘Evidence through intermediaries in proceedings other than crimi- nal proceedings 51A. (1) A court may, on application by any party to proceedings in terms of Part II of this Act before the court, or of its own accord and subject to subsection (4), appoint a competent person as an intermediary in order to enable a witness— (a) under the biological or mental age of 18 years; (b) who suffers from a physical, psychological, mental or emotional 5 condition; or (c) who is an older person as de(cid:383)ned in section 1 of the Older Persons Act, 10 2006 (Act No. 13 of 2006), that to give his or her evidence through that intermediary, if it appears to that court the proceedings would expose such a witness to undue psychological, mental or emotional stress, trauma or suffering if he or she testi(cid:383)es at such proceedings. (2) (a) No examination, cross-examination or re-examination of any witness in respect of whom a court has appointed an intermediary, except examination by the court, may take place in any manner other than through that intermediary. 15 (b) The intermediary may, unless the court directs otherwise, convey the 20 general purport of any question to the relevant witness. (3) If a court appoints an intermediary in terms of subsection (1), the court may direct that the relevant witness gives his or her evidence at any place— (a) which is informally arranged to set that witness at ease; (b) which is so situated that any person whose presence may upset that witness, is outside the sight and hearing of that witness; and (c) which enables the court and any person whose presence is necessary at the relevant proceedings to see and hear, either directly or through the medium of any electronic or other devices, the intermediary, as well as the witness, during his or her testimony. (4) (a) The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, determine the persons or the category or class of persons who are competent to be appointed as intermediaries. (b) An intermediary appearing at proceedings in terms of this section who is not in the full-time employment of the State must be paid such travelling and subsistence and other allowances in respect of the services rendered by him or her as prescribed by the rules made by the Rules Board for Courts of Law under the Rules Board for Courts of Law Act, 1985. (5) (a) A court must provide reasons for refusing any application for the appointment of an intermediary, immediately upon refusal, which reasons must be entered into the record of the proceedings. (b) A court may, on application by a party affected by the refusal contemplated in paragraph (a), and if it is satis(cid:383)ed that there is a material change in respect of any fact or circumstance that in(cid:384)uenced that refusal, review its decision. (6) An intermediary referred to in subsection (1) may be summoned to appear in court on a speci(cid:383)ed date and at a speci(cid:383)ed place and time to act as an intermediary. (7) If, at the commencement of or at any stage before the completion of the proceedings concerned, an intermediary appointed by the court, is absent for any reason, becomes unable, in the opinion of the court, to act as an intermediary or dies, the court may, in the interests of justice and after due consideration of the arguments put forward by the parties— (a) postpone the proceedings in order to obtain the intermediary’s (b) presence; summons the intermediary to appear before the court to advance reasons for being absent; (c) direct that the appointment of the intermediary be revoked and appoint another intermediary; or 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 5 ‘‘Getuienis deur bemiddeling van tussengangers in verrigtinge wat nie strafregtelike verrigtinge is nie 51A. (1) ’n Hof kan, op aansoek deur enige party tot verrigtinge ingevolge Deel II van hierdie Wet voor die hof, of uit eie beweging en behoudens subartikel (4), ’n bevoegde persoon as tussenganger aanstel ten einde ’n getuie— (a) onder die biologiese of verstandsouderdom van 18 jaar; (b) wat aan ’n (cid:383)siese, sielkundige, verstandelike of emosionele toestand 5 ly; of (c) wat ’n ouer persoon is soos in artikel 1 van die ‘Older Persons Act’, 10 2006 (Wet No. 13 van 2006), as ‘older person’ omskryf, in staat te stel om sy of haar getuienis deur bemiddeling van daardie tussenganger af te lê, indien dit vir daardie hof blyk dat die verrigtinge so ’n getuie aan onnodige sielkundige, verstandelike of emosionele spanning, trauma of lyding sal blootstel indien hy of sy by daardie verrigtinge getuienis a(cid:384)ê. (2) (a) Geen ondervraging, kruisondervraging of herondervraging van enige getuie ten opsigte van wie ’n hof ’n tussenganger aangestel het, behalwe ondervraging deur die hof, mag op enige wyse anders as deur bemiddeling van daardie tussenganger plaasvind nie. (b) Die tussenganger kan, tensy die hof anders gelas, die algemene strekking van enige vraag aan die tersaaklike getuie oordra. (3) Indien ’n hof ’n tussenganger ingevolge subartikel (1) aanstel, kan die hof gelas dat die tersaaklike getuie sy of haar getuienis op enige plek lewer— (a) wat informeel ingerig is om daardie getuie op sy of haar gemak te stel; (b) wat so geleë is dat enige persoon wie se teenwoordigheid daardie getuie kan ontstel, buite sig en hoorafstand van daardie getuie is; en (c) wat die hof en enige persoon wie se teenwoordigheid by die tersaaklike verrigtinge nodig is, in staat stel om die tussenganger, sowel as die getuie te sien en te hoor gedurende sy of haar getuienis, hetsy regstreeks of deur enige elektroniese of ander toestelle. (4) (a) Die Minister kan, by kennisgewing in die Staatskoerant, die persone of die kategorie of klas persone wat bevoeg is om as tussengangers aangestel te word, bepaal. (b) ’n Tussenganger wat by verrigtinge verskyn ingevolge hierdie artikel en wat nie voltyds in diens van die Staat is nie, moet sodanige reis- en onderhoud- en ander toelae betaal word ten opsigte van die dienste wat hy of sy lewer, soos voorgeskryf deur die reëls deur die Reëlsraad vir Geregshowe kragtens die Wet op die Reëlsraad vir Geregshowe, 1985, gemaak. (5) (a) ’n Hof moet redes verstrek vir die weiering van enige aansoek om die aanstelling van ’n tussenganger, onmiddellik by weiering, welke redes op die rekord van verrigtinge geplaas moet word. (b) ’n Hof kan, op aansoek van ’n party wat deur die weiering beoog in paragraaf (a) geraak word, en indien die hof oortuig is dat daar ’n wesenlike verandering is ten opsigte van enige feit of omstandigheid wat daardie weiering beïnvloed het, sy beslissing hersien. (6) ’n Tussenganger beoog in subartikel (1), kan gedagvaar word om op ’n gespesi(cid:383)seerde datum en op ’n gespesi(cid:383)seerde plek en tyd voor die hof te verskyn om as ’n tussenganger op te tree. (7) Indien, by die aanvang of op enige stadium voor die afhandeling van die betrokke verrigtinge, ’n tussenganger deur die hof aangestel om enige rede afwesig is, na die oordeel van die hof onbekwaam raak om as tussenganger op te tree of sterf, kan die hof, in die belang van geregtigheid en na behoorlike oorweging van die betoë deur die partye gelewer— (a) die verrigtinge uitstel ten einde die tussenganger se teenwoordigheid te bekom; (b) die tussenganger dagvaar om voor die hof te verskyn om redes vir sy of haar afwesigheid te verskaf; (c) gelas dat die aanstelling van die tussenganger ingetrek word en ’n ander tussenganger aanstel; of 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 6 (d) direct that the appointment of the intermediary be revoked and that the proceedings continue in the absence of an intermediary. (8) The court must immediately give reasons for any direction or order referred to in subsection (7)(c) or (d), which reasons must be entered into the record of the proceedings. 5 Oath and competency of intermediaries 51B. (1) Subject to subsection (3), any person who is competent to be appointed as an intermediary in terms of section 51A(4)(a) must, before commencing with his or her functions in terms of section 51A, take an oath or make an affirmation subscribed by him or her, in the form set out below, before the magistrate presiding over the proceedings: ‘I, ......................., do hereby swear/truly affirm that, whenever I may be called upon to perform the functions of an intermediary, I shall truly and correctly, to the best of my knowledge and ability— perform my functions as an intermediary; and (a) convey, properly and accurately, all questions put to witnesses (b) and, where necessary, convey the general purport of any question to the witness, unless directed otherwise by the court’. (2) (a) Subject to subsection (3), before a person is appointed to perform the functions of an intermediary in a magistrate’s court for any district or for any regional division, the magistrate presiding over the proceedings must enquire into the competence of the person to be appointed as an intermediary. (b) The enquiry contemplated in paragraph (a) must include, but is not limited to, the person’s— (i) (cid:383)tness as a person to be an intermediary; (ii) experience, which has a bearing on the role and functions of an intermediary; (iii) quali(cid:383)cations; (iv) knowledge, which has a bearing on the role and functions of an intermediary; language and communication pro(cid:383)ciency; and (v) (vi) ability to interact with a witness under the biological or mental age of 18 years or a witness who suffers from a physical, psychological, mental or emotional condition, or a witness who is an older person as de(cid:383)ned in section 1 of the Older Persons Act, 2006 (Act No. 13 of 2006). (3) (a) The head of a court may, at his or her discretion and after holding an enquiry contemplated in subsection (2), issue a certi(cid:383)cate in the form prescribed by the Minister by notice in the Gazette, to a person whom he or she has found to be competent to appear as an intermediary in a magistrate’s court for a district or for a regional division. (b) Before the head of a court issues a certi(cid:383)cate referred to in paragraph (a), he or she must cause the person who has been found competent to be appointed as an intermediary, to take the oath or make the affirmation referred to in subsection (1) and must endorse the certi(cid:383)cate with a statement of the fact that it was taken or made before him or her and of the date on which it was so taken or made and append his or her signature thereto. 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 (c) A certi(cid:383)cate contemplated in paragraph (a) may be accepted as proof 50 of the— (i) competency of a person to be appointed as an intermediary; and (ii) fact that the person has taken the oath or made the affirmation contemplated in subsection (1), for purposes of this section, in any subsequent proceedings in terms of this Act, before a magistrate’s court for a district or for a regional division and it is not necessary for the magistrate presiding over the proceedings in question to administer the oath or affirmation or to hold an enquiry into the competence of the person to be appointed as an intermediary. 55 7 (d) gelas dat die aanstelling van die tussenganger ingetrek word en dat die verrigtinge in die afwesigheid van ’n tussenganger voortgaan. (8) Die hof moet onmiddellik redes verskaf vir enige lasgewing of bevel in subartikel (7)(c) of (d) bedoel, welke redes op die rekord van verrigtinge geplaas moet word. Eed en bevoegdheid van tussengangers 51B. (1) Behoudens subartikel (3), moet enige persoon wat bevoeg is om ingevolge artikel 51A(4)(a) as tussenganger aangestel te word, voordat hy of sy die werksaamhede ingevolge artikel 51A opneem, ’n eed of plegtige verklaring, deur hom of haar onderteken, in die onderstaande vorm, a(cid:384)ê voor die landdros wat oor die verrigtinge voorsit: ‘Ek, ........................., verklaar hierby onder eed/plegtig en opreg dat, wanneer ek ook al gevra mag word om die werksaamhede van ’n tussenganger te verrig, ek waar en korrek, na die beste van my kennis en vermoë— (a) my werksaamhede as ’n tussenganger sal verrig; en (b) alle vrae aan getuies gestel behoorlik en akkuraat sal oordra en, waar nodig, die algemene strekking van enige vraag aan die getuie sal oordra, tensy andersins deur die hof gelas’. (2) (a) Behoudens subartikel (3), voordat ’n persoon aangestel word om die werksaamhede van ’n tussenganger in ’n landdroshof vir enige distrik of vir enige streeksafdeling te verrig, moet die landdros wat by die verrigtinge voorsit, ondersoek doen na die bevoegdheid van die persoon om as ’n tussenganger aangestel te word. 5 10 15 20 (b) Die ondersoek beoog in paragraaf (a), moet insluit, maar is nie beperk 25 nie tot, die persoon se— (i) geskiktheid, as ’n persoon, om ’n tussenganger te wees; (ii) ervaring, wat betrekking het op die rol en werksaamhede van ’n tussenganger; (iii) kwali(cid:383)kasies; (iv) kennis, wat betrekking het op die rol en werksaamhede van ’n tussenganger; taal- en kommunikasievaardighede; en (v) (vi) vermoë om met ’n getuie onder die biologiese of verstandsouderdom van 18 jaar of ’n getuie wat aan ’n (cid:383)sieke, sielkundige, verstandelike of emosionele toestand ly, of ’n getuie wat ’n ouer persoon is, soos in artikel 1 van die ‘Older Persons Act, 2006’ (Wet No. 13 van 2006), as ‘older person’ omskryf, te werk. (3) (a) Die hoof van ’n hof kan, na goeddunke en nadat ’n ondersoek beoog in subartikel (2) gedoen is, ’n serti(cid:383)kaat in die vorm deur die Minister by kennisgewing in die Staatskoerant voorgeskryf, uitreik aan ’n persoon wat hy of sy bevoeg bevind het om as ’n tussenganger in ’n landdroshof vir ’n distrik of vir ’n streeksafdeling te verskyn. (b) Voordat die hoof van ’n hof ’n serti(cid:383)kaat bedoel in paragraaf (a) uitreik, moet hy of sy die persoon wat bevoeg bevind is om as ’n tussenganger aangestel te word, die eed of ’n plegtige verklaring bedoel in subartikel (1) laat a(cid:384)ê en die serti(cid:383)kaat endosseer met ’n verklaring van die feit dat dit afgeneem of gemaak is voor hom of haar en van die datum waarop dit aldus afgeneem of gemaak is en sy of haar handtekening daarop aanbring. (c) ’n Serti(cid:383)kaat beoog in paragraaf (a) kan aanvaar word as bewys van die— (i) bevoegdheid van ’n persoon om as tussenganger aangestel te word; en feit dat die persoon die eed of plegtige verklaring afgelê het soos in (ii) subartikel (1) beoog, by die toepassing van hierdie artikel, in enige daaropvolgende verrigtinge ingevolge hierdie Wet, voor ’n landdroshof vir ’n distrik of vir ’n streeksafdeling en is dit nie nodig vir die landdros wat oor die betrokke verrigtinge voorsit, om die eed of plegtige verklaring af te neem nie of om ’n ondersoek te doen na die bevoegdheid van ’n persoon om as ’n tussenganger aangestel te word nie. 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 8 (d) Paragraph (c) must not be construed as prohibiting a magistrate from holding an enquiry, at any stage of proceedings, regarding the competence of a person to act as an intermediary. (e) For the purposes of this section, ‘head of a court’ means the most senior judicial officer of that court. Evidence through audiovisual link in proceedings other than criminal proceedings 51C. (1) A court may, on application by any party to proceedings in terms of Part II of this Act before that court or of its own accord, order that a witness, irrespective of whether the witness is in or outside the Republic, if the witness consents thereto, may give evidence by means of audiovisual link. (2) A court may make an order contemplated in subsection (1) only if— (a) it appears to the court that to do so would— (i) (aa) prevent unreasonable delay; (bb) save costs; (cc) be convenient; or (dd) prevent the likelihood that any person might be preju- diced or harmed if he or she testi(cid:383)es or is present at such proceedings; and (ii) otherwise be in the interests of justice; 5 10 15 20 (b) (c) facilities thereof are readily available or obtainable at the court; and the audiovisual link that is used by the witness or at the court enables— (i) persons at the courtroom to see, hear and interact with the 25 (ii) witness giving evidence; and the witness who gives evidence to see, hear and interact with the persons at the courtroom. (3) The court may make the giving of evidence in terms of subsection (1) subject to such conditions as it may deem necessary in the interests of justice. (4) The court must provide reasons for— (a) allowing or refusing an application by any of the parties; or (b) as contemplated in subsection (1). its order and any objection raised by the parties against the order, (5) For purposes of this Act, a witness who gives evidence by means of audiovisual link is regarded as a witness who was subpoenaed to give evidence in the court in question. (6) For purposes of this section ‘audiovisual link’ means facilities that enable both audio and visual communications between a witness and persons at a courtroom in real-time as they take place.’’. Amendment of section 59 of Act 51 of 1977, as substituted by section 3 of Act 26 of 1987, section 1 of Act 126 of 1992 and section 2 of Act 75 of 1995