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    There are two types of presumptions of death in South African law: common law presumption of death and statutory presumption of death. Common law presumption of death applies when a person goes missing and there is uncertainty about whether they are dead or alive. Any interested party can apply to court. They must prove on a balance of probabilities that the missing person is dead. A statutory presumption applies in cases involving aircraft accidents or where the cause of death is uncertain. The state initiates the process and the judicial officer must be certain beyond reasonable doubt of the person's death. If confirmed by the High Court, a statutory presumption automatically dissolves the missing person's marriage, while a common law presumption requires a separate application.

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    There are two types of presumptions of death in South African law: common law presumption of death and statutory presumption of death. Common law presumption of death applies when a person goes missing and there is uncertainty about whether they are dead or alive. Any interested party can apply to court. They must prove on a balance of probabilities that the missing person is dead. A statutory presumption applies in cases involving aircraft accidents or where the cause of death is uncertain. The state initiates the process and the judicial officer must be certain beyond reasonable doubt of the person's death. If confirmed by the High Court, a statutory presumption automatically dissolves the missing person's marriage, while a common law presumption requires a separate application.

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    6 views3 pages

    PVL1501-Presumption of Death

    Uploaded by

    understand ing
    There are two types of presumptions of death in South African law: common law presumption of death and statutory presumption of death. Common law presumption of death applies when a person goes missing and there is uncertainty about whether they are dead or alive. Any interested party can apply to court. They must prove on a balance of probabilities that the missing person is dead. A statutory presumption applies in cases involving aircraft accidents or where the cause of death is uncertain. The state initiates the process and the judicial officer must be certain beyond reasonable doubt of the person's death. If confirmed by the High Court, a statutory presumption automatically dissolves the missing person's marriage, while a common law presumption requires a separate application.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 3

    The distinction between a common law presumption of death and a statutory presumption of

    death order

    Common law presumption Statutory presumption of


    of death death

    When? When a person is missing and • A person’s death was


    there is no certainty as to not due to natural
    whether he or she is dead or causes.
    still alive. • If an aircraft is involved
    in an accident in or
    above the Republic or
    its territorial waters, or
    if any South African
    aircraft is involved in an
    accident anywhere.

    Who can apply? Any interested party, such as The State takes the initiative,
    a creditor, heir, surviving for example:
    spouse or civil union partner • Judicial officer
    of the missing person. (Inquests Act)
    • Minister of Transport
    (Aviation Act)

    Burden of proof The applicant must prove on a The judicial officer must be
    preponderance of probabilities certain beyond reasonable
    that the missing person is doubt that the person is dead.
    dead.

    Court The high court in whose Police official must investigate


    jurisdiction the missing person the circumstances of the
    was domiciled. death and report the matter to
    the magistrate of the district
    concerned.

    Applicable law Common law • Inquests Act 58 of 1959


    • Aviation Act 74 of 1962

    Effect on marriage The marriage of the missing If an inquest was held in


    person is not automatically terms of the Inquests Act
    dissolved, but the surviving and the finding was
    spouse must bring a separate confirmed by the high court,
    application in terms of the the person’s marriage or civil
    Dissolution of Marriages on union is automatically
    Presumption of Death Act 23 dissolved. The surviving
    of 1979 in order to dissolve spouse does not need to
    his or her marriage or civil make a separate application
    union. for the dissolution of the
    marriage or civil union.

    Open Rubric
    Die onderskeid tussen ’n gemeenregtelike en statutêre vermoede van dood.

    Gemeenregtelike vermoede Statutêre vermoede van


    van dood dood

    Wanneer? Wanneer ’n persoon verdwyn • Twyfel of ʼn persoon


    en daar geen sekerheid aan natuurlike oorsake
    bestaan of hy of sy nog lewe dood is.
    of reeds dood is nie. • Indien ’n
    vliegtuigongeluk in of
    bo die Republiek of die
    Suid-Afrikaanse
    territoriale waters
    plaasvind, of indien
    enige Suid-Afrikaanse
    vliegtuig op enige plek
    in die wêreld in ʼn
    ongeluk betrokke is.

    Wie kan die aansoek bring? Enige belanghebbende Die staat neem die inisiatief,
    persoon, soos ’n skuldeiser, byvoorbeeld:
    erfgenaam, agtergeblewe • Regterlike beampte
    gade of siviele vennoot van (Wet op Geregtelike
    die verdwene persoon. Doodsondersoeke)
    • Minister van Vervoer
    (Lugvaartwet)

    Bewyslas Die applikant moet op ’n Die regterlike beampte moet


    oorwig van waarskynlikhede bo redelike twyfel seker wees
    bewys dat die verdwene dat die betrokke persoon wel
    persoon dood is. dood is.

    Hof Die hoë hof binne wie se Die regterlike beampte moet
    regsgebied die verdwene ondersoek instel na die
    persoon gedomisilieer was. oorsaak van die dood en die
    feit by die landdros van die
    betrokke distrik aanmeld.

    Toepaslike reg Gemenereg. • Wet op Geregtelike


    Doodsondersoeke 58
    van 1959.
    • Lugvaartwet 74 van
    1962

    Effek op die huwelik ’n Vermoede-van-dood-bevel Waar ʼn geregtelike


    beëindig nie outomaties die doodsondersoek gedoen is en
    huwelik van die verdwene die bevinding deur die hoë hof
    persoon nie. Die agtergeblewe bekragtig word, word die
    gade van die verdwene persoon se huwelik of siviele
    persoon moet ’n aparte verbintenis geag outomaties
    aansoek om ’n bevel wat die ontbind te wees. Die
    huwelik of siviele verbintenis agtergeblewe gade hoef nie ʼn
    ontbind, bring ingevolge die aparte aansoek te bring vir die
    Wet op die Ontbinding van ontbinding van die huwelik of
    Huwelike by Vermoede van siviele verbintenis nie.
    Dood 23 van 1979.

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