Under South African laws, the commissioning of oaths is
regulated in terms of the Justices of The Peace and Commissioners
of Oaths Act, 1963. Commissioners of oaths are required to verify
the identity of the person making the sworn statement, to ensure
that the documents annexed to the affidavit or statement are true
copies, and to lead the deponent or the person signing the
statement in uttering the specified words when making the oath or
affirmation.
Under normal circumstances, administering an oath usually
happens in person. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the movement
restrictions that were imposed in South Africa during the lockdown
made administering an oath in person difficult.
