Act No. 49 of 1953.
Act
To provide for the reservation of public premises and vehicles or portions thereof for the exclusive use of persons of a particular race or class, for the interpretation of laws which provide for such reservation, and for matters incidental thereto.
(English text signed by the Governor-General.)
(Assented to 5th October, 1953.)
Be it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate and the House of Assembly of the Union of South Africa, as follows:―
1. In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates—
“public premises” includes any land, enclosure, building, structure, hall, room, office or convenience to which the public has access, whether on the payment of an admission fee or not but does not include a public road or street;
“public vehicle” includes any train, tram, bus, vessel or aircraft used for the conveyance for reward or otherwise of members of the public.
2. (1) Any person who is in charge of or has control of any public premises or any public vehicle, whether as owner or lessee or whether by virtue of his office or otherwise, or any person acting under his control or direction may, whenever he deems it expedient and in such manner or by such means as he may consider most convenient for the purpose of informing all persons concerned, set apart or reserve such premises or such vehicle or any portion of such premises or such vehicle or any counter, bench, seat or other amenity or contrivance in or on such premises or vehicle, for the exclusive use of persons belonging to a particular race or class.
(2) Any person who wilfully enters or uses any public premises or public vehicle or any portion thereof or any counter, bench, seat or other amenity or contrivance which has in terms of sub-section (1) been set apart or reserved for the exclusive use of persons belonging to a particular race or class, being a race or class to which he does not belong, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
(3) If in any prosecution under sub-section (2) it is proved that a notice in both official languages announcing that any public premises or any public vehicle or any portion thereof or any counter, bench, seat or other amenity or contrivance has been set aside or reserved for the exclusive use of persons belonging to a particular race or class, appears at, in or on such premises or vehicle or portion thereof or such counter, bench, seat or other amenity or contrivance, it shall be presumed, unless the