Section 181: Certificates of certain officers as evidence

181. Certificates of certain officers as evidence (1) (a) In subsection (2), “officer” means, subject to paragraph (b), a public officer who is the holder of, or is acting in, an office as— (i) Chief Government Analyst; (ii) Government Analyst; (iii) Medical and Health Officer; (iv) Pathologist; C54 – 43 [Issue 1] Courts Act (v) Police Medical Officer; (vi) Principal Forensic Science Officer; (vii) Principal Veterinary Officer; (viii) Scientific Officer (Forensic Science); (ix) Senior Forensic Laboratory Assistant; (x) Senior Pathologist; (xi) Senior Police Medical Officer; (xii) Veterinary Officer; (xiii) Police Officer; or (xiv) Director, Pharmaceutical Services. (b) Where an office specified in paragraph (a) is restyled, a public officer who is the holder of, or is acting in, the restyled office shall, for the purposes of subsection (2), be an officer. (2) In all proceedings before any Court or before any person authorised by law or by consent of parties to hear, receive and examine evidence, a certificate under the hand— (a) of any officer; or (b) in the case of a medical certificate, of the officer in charge of the hospital where the examination of the person to whom the certificate relates was carried out, shall be sufficient evidence of the fact therein stated without proof of the handwriting of such officer unless the Court or such person authorised as aforesaid decides that the attendance of the officer is necessary. [S. 181 amended by Act 29 of 1992; Act 4 of 1999; Act 5 of 1999.]