Register a death

What you'll usually need

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• The national ID or passport of the person who died
• Your own national ID
• Form BD11 (notice of death) and form BD12 (medical cause of death). The hospital or doctor usually fills these in
• The post-mortem report (form 231) from the pathologist or the police, if there was a post-mortem or the death was reported to the police
• The marriage certificate, if the person was married

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Steps

1. Get a burial order before the funeral. A relative or the undertaker takes the documents to the registry office.
2. No burial order? This can happen if the person died at home and was buried without one. In that case, bring an informant and two witnesses who were present at the death and were 18 or over at the time. They all need their IDs. Also bring a letter from the chief, headman or village head.
3. Register the death at the registry office within 30 days.
4. Collect the death certificate. It is usually ready within a few days, though the Registrar General says one day. Ask the office when to come back.

Good to know

• For a copy of a lost death certificate, you need the death entry number. If the person was married, the surviving spouse applies and brings the marriage certificate.
• You will need the death certificate to claim NSSA survivors' benefits.