A death certificate is a government-issued certificate containing the cause of death, location of death, time of death, as well as some other personal information about a deceased person.

A death certificate may be required for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is to serve as proof in legal proceedings. These reasons may include arranging for a funeral, settling estates, claiming life insurance, accessing pension benefits, and getting married (when proving the death of one’s previous partner).

During an investigation, government officials may need the death certificate to determine whether foul play has occurred.

Data on different statistics, including the leading causes of death, are compiled using death certificates by public health officials. Since death certificates are the only source of information about the causes of death and illnesses preceding death, public health policies heavily rely on mortality statistics.

A physician or coroner’s signature is usually required before a certified death certificate is issued to validate the cause of death and the identity of the deceased. A certificate of disposition of remains, or cremation or burial permit, is usually issued by local authorities upon signing the death certificate.

Are Death Records Public in South Africa?

Records of births, marriages, and deaths are kept by the Department of Home Affairs, but they cannot be accessed by the public for research. You must submit a written request to the Department of Home Affairs and provide full details about the event.

Need a copy of a death certificate? DocAssist can help. We charge only for the work we do as a reputable document agent. It is our goal to make the process of obtaining legal documents from the DHA as seamless and painless as possible for our clients. We process documents much faster than the DHA, so you can expect your documents in weeks, not months. 

It is physically impossible to visit the Department of Home Affairs if you live abroad and require death records in South Africa. Let Doc Assist help you. We require only a few details – the ID number, and details surrounding the death – and we’ll do the rest. We also offer apostille and legalization services if you need them. We will send you the document via DHL once it is ready. Get in touch today!