{"id":11918,"date":"2019-09-06T10:52:40","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T08:52:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kznwib.co.za\/?p=11918"},"modified":"2019-09-06T11:34:11","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T09:34:11","slug":"domestic-violence-applying-for-an-urgent-interim-protection-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kznwib.co.za\/2019\/09\/06\/domestic-violence-applying-for-an-urgent-interim-protection-order\/","title":{"rendered":"Domestic Violence \u2013 Applying for An Urgent Interim Protection Order"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t
Protection against domestic violence is a human right. It is founded on several human rights in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,1996 (the Constitution). Section 10 provides that \u201ceveryone has an inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected\u201d. This includes both physical and psychological respect to one\u2019s dignity.<\/p>\n
Remedies to domestic violence provided by the law <\/strong><\/p>\n The law views domestic violence as an act that infringes upon physical and psychological respect to one\u2019s dignity among a host of other Constitutional infringements. One of the ways that the law tries to combat domestic violence is by making it a crime under the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 (the Act).<\/p>\n The Act aims to aid victims of domestic violence. Section 2 of the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 states that any member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) must:<\/p>\n Legal Definition of Domestic Violence <\/strong><\/p>\n Domestic Violence is:<\/p>\n Urgent Interim Protection Order <\/strong><\/p>\n The Act obliges the magistrates court to issue an urgent interim protection order and a warrant of arrest in the absence of and without the knowledge of the alleged abuser. This is in circumstances of domestic violence where there is a well-informed concern of imminent harm if the urgent interim protection order is not granted.<\/p>\n In addition, the urgent interim order is not legally valid until it is served on the alleged abuser. The alleged abuser will then have the opportunity on the return day to state reasons why the order should not be confirmed.<\/p>\n Approaching the Court <\/strong><\/p>\n To obtain an urgent interim protection order, the complainant should approach the clerk of the magistrate\u2019s court. The complainant must complete and sign an Application for A Protection Order. The court then hears the application. If the court is satisfied that the alleged abuser is committing or has committed an act of domestic violence and the complainant needs urgent protection, it must grant an interim protection order against the alleged abuser even if the alleged abuser does not know that there is a court hearing.<\/p>\n Serving the Interim Protection Order on the Alleged Abuser<\/strong><\/p>\n The magistrate will inform the complainant of the contents of the order made and that the order will have to be served on the alleged abuser before it is legally binding. Service of the protection order must be effected immediately after the granting of the order, by the clerk of the court or the sheriff or a peace officer.<\/p>\nOnce the protection order has been served, the complainant will be entitled to a certified copy of the protection order and a warrant of arrest against the alleged abuser. The complainant will also be informed that a certified copy of the protection order and the warrant of arrest will be sent to a police station of the complainant\u2019s choice. Should the alleged abuser Returning to Court to Make the Order Permanent <\/strong><\/p>\n The complainant will also need to return to court on another date and time to make the protection order permanent. If the complainant fails to do so, the matter will be removed from the roll and the interim order will expire.<\/p>\n On the return date, the court must decide whether to:<\/p>\n If the alleged abuser does not appear on the return date, the interim protection order must be confirmed. This is only if the court is satisfied that proper service has been effected upon the alleged abuser.<\/p>\n If the alleged abuser appears on the return date, the court must proceed with the hearing. This means that witnesses may be called by both the complainant and the alleged abuser or they can argue themselves before the magistrate.<\/p>\n Warrants of arrest<\/strong><\/p>\n Whenever the court grants a protection order, it must make an order authorising the issue of a warrant for the arrest of the alleged abuser and suspend the execution of the warrant subject to compliance with any order imposed. Should the alleged abuser breach any:<\/p>\n in a protection order, the complainant may hand the warrant of arrest to any member of the SAPS. SAPS must arrest the alleged abuser for allegedly being in breach of the protection order.<\/p>\n For further information, please contact us on info@rajarammvulane.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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\nbreach any term of the protection order, the complainant may report the breach to the police and that the SAPS will then arrest the alleged abuser.\n\n
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\nor<\/li>\n\n\t\tGUEST AUTHOR BIO\n\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tNozipho Sybil Mvulane\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t