At Oaths.co.za, trust and integrity are at our core.
Below, our Founding Commissioners of Oaths answer top questions.
From the legality of digital certification and identity verification to data protection, responsible tech use, and ensuring every document meets the highest professional standards.
Oaths.co.za, powered by Beantech, is South Africa’s first legally compliant, cloud-based certification platform that allows individuals and institutions to obtain digitally certified true copies of original documents — without the queues, paperwork, or need for physical appointments.
It is a regulation-aligned LegalTech solution that enables trusted Commissioners of Oaths to lawfully certify Smart IDs, Driver’s Licences, Passports, and Proof of Address documents — digitally and securely — under the authority of the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Act 16 of 1963 and Regulation 10 of GN R1258 of 1972.
⚖️ Built for Legal Validity
Oaths.co.za does not facilitate affidavits or affirmations, which fall under Regulation 3(1) and require physical presence. It strictly facilitates the certification of true copies — a legally distinct and less restrictive process, recognised by law and affirmed by recent High Court decisions.
All certifications are conducted by duly appointed Commissioners of Oaths — currently, Professional Accountants (SA) registered with the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) and authorised under Regulation 61B.
🔒 Powered by Secure Digital Trust
The platform blends trusted legal principles with modern compliance technology:
☁️ Secured by Beantech
Oaths.co.za is built and hosted by Beantech, a South African fintech innovator known for developing compliance-grade SaaS infrastructure. The platform runs on Microsoft Azure Cloud, with enterprise-grade security, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and POPIA-aligned data protection protocols.
🌍 For All South Africans — Locally and Abroad
Whether you’re applying for a bank account, submitting CIPC BO disclosures, registering for university, or updating your RICA records, Oaths.co.za makes legally valid certified copies available on-demand — anywhere, anytime.
It is a modern trust solution for South Africa’s evolving regulatory, compliance, and access-to-services landscape.
✅ Yes — if done within the framework of existing legislation, regulations, and case law.
South African law permits the certification of true copies of original documents by Commissioners of Oaths under the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Act 16 of 1963, read with Government Notice R1258 of 21 July 1972, specifically Regulation 10, which authorises a Commissioner to certify that a document is a true copy of the original if the original has been compared.
The law does not prescribe a fixed format (paper or digital) for how this certification must be rendered, nor does it exclude digital processes where the Commissioner can compare the original and apply their certification credentials in a verifiable manner.
Importantly: Oaths.co.za does not facilitate affidavits or affirmations, which fall under Regulation 3(1) and require physical presence. It strictly facilitates certification of true copies, a separate and less burdensome legal function.
🧾 What Do the Courts Say?
While Regulation 10 remains unchanged since 1972, the South African High Courts have accepted that modern, secure digital processes may fulfil statutory obligations, particularly when they satisfy the principle of substantial compliance.
Notable Case Law:
These rulings confirm that legality lies not in the medium (digital vs. paper), but in the integrity, traceability, and compliance of the certification process.
🛡️ What Makes Oaths.co.za Legally Compliant?
Oaths.co.za was purpose-built to operate within the exact bounds of Regulation 10. It ensures that:
Additionally, every document is embedded with metadata that includes the Commissioner’s details and compliance record — creating an auditable trail that meets and exceeds public-sector and private-sector standards.
📌 Summary
Digital certification of true copies of documents is lawful in South Africa when performed by a Commissioner of Oaths acting within the scope of Regulation 10.
Oaths.co.za faithfully applies the law — not bypasses it — by enabling secure, verified, and fully auditable certification in digital form.
It is aligned with legislation, backed by precedent, and built for both public and institutional trust.
At Oaths.co.za, all certifications are conducted exclusively by duly appointed Commissioners of Oaths who meet the statutory requirements under the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Act 16 of 1963 and Government Notice R1258 of 21 July 1972, as amended.
Currently, our Commissioners include qualified Professional Accountants (SA), who are registered members of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) and formally authorised under Regulation No. 61B to act as Commissioners of Oaths.
Each Commissioner is:
This structure ensures that every document certified on Oaths.co.za is not only legally valid, but also professionally accountable, regulator-backed, and verifiable — meeting the highest standards of trust required for FICA, RICA, CIPC, BO, academic, legal, and institutional use.
Oaths.co.za was built for one purpose:
To give honest South Africans a fast, safe, and lawful way to get certified copies of their most important documents — without queues, scams, or shortcuts.
✅ We’re 100% South African
We only certify original South African documents for South African citizens.
❌ No foreign IDs. ❌ No fake paperwork. ❌ No exceptions.
✅ We follow the law — strictly
We operate under the:
We don’t certify what we’re not legally allowed to.
No grey areas. No shortcuts.
✅ We screen for fraud and corruption
Every user is automatically screened against:
If something doesn’t check out, the system blocks it — and reports it where required.
✅ We use real technology — not fake stamps
Every certified document from Oaths.co.za includes:
✅ A unique, secure QR code
✅ Blockchain verification
✅ A digital trail that can’t be faked
✅ A hand-picked, professionally registered SAIPA Commissioner of Oaths in Good Standing
We don’t just sign and stamp. We verify with real technology, real professionals, and real accountability.
✅ We don’t play games with your data
Your personal information is:
Your privacy is non-negotiable.
✅ We don’t cut corners
❌ No uploading someone else’s documents
❌ No scanned or fake files
❌ No shortcuts for fraudsters
If you’re not using Oaths.co.za honestly, you’ll be blocked permanently.
✅ You make a digital vow
When you register, you're making a binding digital declaration:
“My identity is real. My documents are lawful. My intent is honest.”
It’s more than a login. It’s an oath.
✅ If you’re an honest South African — we built this platform for you.
🚫 If you’re a criminal, fraudster, or looking to game the system - This isn’t your place.
Oaths.co.za provides secure, lawful digital certification of true copies of original documents — in full alignment with South African law, particularly Regulation 10 of Government Notice R1258 of 1972, read with the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Act 16 of 1963.
Our platform facilitates certification of the following commonly required documents:
⚠️ Important Legal Distinction:
Oaths.co.za does not administer affidavits or affirmations.
These fall under Regulation 3(1) and require physical presence before a Commissioner of Oaths.
Instead, Oaths strictly facilitates the certification of true copies, which is a legally distinct and significantly less restrictive function governed by Regulation 10 — requiring only that the Commissioner compare the document with the original and attest it as a true copy.
✅ What We Offer
All certifications on the platform are:
Every certified document issued by Oaths.co.za is:
📌 In Summary:
Oaths.co.za is not a legal workaround — it is a lawful, regulated, and defensible digital alternative to manual certification. It is designed for real-world use, trusted by Commissioners, and recognised across private and public sectors.
At Oaths.co.za, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and security of the verification and certification process — always under the direct oversight of a duly appointed Commissioner of Oaths. AI assists in confirming that the person presenting the document is genuinely present, lawfully identified, and in control of the original.
Our platform uses facial recognition and 3D liveness detection to ensure that each user is physically present and not impersonating someone else. These biometric technologies are further supported by real-time identity matching and validation of Smart ID data against official Department of Home Affairs (DHA) records.
In addition, intelligent document analysis tools assess the quality, structure, and authenticity of submitted identity documents to detect signs of tampering, forgery, or manipulation. These AI systems work behind the scenes to reduce the risk of identity fraud while speeding up the overall process.
We partner with South Africa’s leading biometric and verification providers — including registered credit bureaus with secure access to DHA databases — to ensure that every verification is both technically robust and legally compliant. The result is a certification process that is not only smart, but also secure, auditable, and fully aligned with South African law.
Oaths.co.za facilitates the lawful certification of true copies of personal identification and verification documents, as permitted under Regulation 10 of Government Notice R1258 of 1972, read with the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Act 16 of 1963.
All certifications are performed by duly appointed, traceable Commissioners of Oaths, acting within their legal mandate, and every certified copy is digitally sealed, audit-traceable, and verifiable via QR code.
✅ Supported Document Types
Oaths.co.za supports the certification of the following South African document categories:
🆔 Identity Documents
🏠 Proof of Address
Oaths.co.za only accepts Bank Confirmation Letters (BCLs) issued by a registered South African bank.
To be valid, your Bank Confirmation Letter must:
🛑 We do not accept utility bills, bank statements, municipal invoices, lease agreements, or any other documents as proof of address.
These document types are commonly required for:
⚠️ Important Note on Green ID Books
Due to widespread forgery, outdated formatting, and the Department of Home Affairs’ confirmed goal to stop issuing Green ID Books by the end of 2025, Oaths.co.za does not support digital certification of the Green barcoded ID Book.
We strongly recommend that users upgrade to the Smart ID Card, which is secure, scannable, and legally accepted for all digital verification and certification workflows.
👉 Good news: If you're a South African citizen applying for your first Smart ID Card, the upgrade is completely free.
Visit the official DHA eHomeAffairs portal to apply online or book a Smart ID appointment at a bank branch near you:
🔗 https://ehome.dha.gov.za/ehomeaffairs
📌 In Summary:
Oaths.co.za certifies true copies of valid South African identification and address documents in full compliance with Regulation 10. All documents are digitally certified, legally defensible, and publicly verifiable — making them suitable for use across government, finance, education, telecoms, and legal industries.
The entire certification process on Oaths.co.za is designed to be fast, secure, and fully compliant — without compromising on legal integrity.
🧾 Initial Verification & Certification
When you register on Oaths.co.za for the first time, the identity verification and certification process typically takes just a few short minutes. The platform uses:
Once verified, a duly appointed Commissioner of Oaths — fully traceable and acting under Regulation 10 — personally compares and certifies your documents as true copies of the original.
🔄 Effortless Recertification – Every 3 Months
To meet institutional and compliance standards (such as FICA, CIPC, and BO), Oaths.co.za offers automated recertification every 3 months — ensuring your certified documents remain up to date, valid, and legally usable.
⚡ The renewal process takes less than a minute — seamlessly re-validating your credentials, confirming your identity, and issuing an updated certificate.
In most cases, you won’t even notice. It just gets done.
🏁 Fast, Compliant, and Legally Defensible
Most users receive their digitally certified documents within minutes of submitting them — without needing to leave their home, office, or mobile device.
And because every certification includes:
You’re not just getting speed — you’re getting security, accuracy, and legal proof.
Oaths.co.za is built for real people who need certified documents — fast, legally, and without hassle. Whether you’re applying for a job, registering with your bank, submitting CIPC or BO documents, or proving your identity for a telecom or university — Oaths.co.za gives you access to legally valid certified copies, anytime, from anywhere.
🔐 Trusted, Transparent & Legally Defensible
Every certified document includes:
This means your documents aren’t just accepted — they’re trusted, verifiable, and audit-ready.
👨⚖️ Certified by Real Commissioners — Not Robots
All certifications are personally handled by legally appointed Commissioners of Oaths — such as Professional Accountants (SA) registered with SAIPA — at no additional cost, as required by law.
We don’t charge for the certification. We charge to make it secure, simple, and accessible.
✅ Simple. Legal. Yours.
With Oaths, you can:
📌 In Summary:
Oaths is for individuals who need certified documents without the delay or drama.
It’s legal, trusted, and built for how real South Africans live, work, and apply in 2025.
You are not paying for the certification itself.
All document certifications on Oaths.co.za are performed free of charge by duly appointed Commissioners of Oaths, in accordance with Regulation 6 of Government Notice R1258 of 1972, which strictly prohibits any fee for the administration of oaths, affirmations, or the certification of documents.
🛡️ What Your Subscription Covers
Your annual subscription enables secure, 24/7 access to the Oaths digital platform and its supporting infrastructure, including:
📌 In Summary:
Your subscription supports the technology, infrastructure, and legal safeguards that make digital certification possible — safely, securely, and lawfully.
The certification itself remains free, as required by South African law.
Your Oaths.co.za subscription gives you secure, year-round access to your certified documents and the digital certification platform — all in full compliance with South African law and privacy standards.
🔐 What You’re Getting
Your subscription includes:
You’re not paying for the certification itself — that’s free under the law.
You’re paying for the secure technology that makes it fast, trusted, and always available.
🔁 How Renewal Works
❌ Cancelling Early?
🗑️ What Happens After It Ends?
If you don’t renew:
⚖️ Your Responsibility
We protect your data under POPIA. You’re still responsible for your own legal duties, such as Information Officer registration (under POPIA or PAIA), if applicable.
📌 In Summary:
Your subscription keeps your certified documents safe, accessible, and legally valid, with full security and peace of mind, all year long.
Getting certified documents through Oaths.co.za is fast, secure, and 100% online — with legal trust and personal convenience built into every step.
We verify your identity, protect your data, screen for legal compliance (FICA, RICA, AML, PEP/PIP, etc.), and issue legally valid certified documents — all without queues, paperwork, or in-person visits.
✅ Step-by-Step: Getting Started
1. Create Your Account
Start by signing up on www.oaths.co.za. You’ll complete a short registration form and accept the Privacy Notice.
🔒 Consent Required:
You’ll be asked to consent to biometric processing (e.g. facial recognition) to confirm your identity. This is fully POPIA-compliant and required by law.
Example Consent:
“I agree to Oaths.co.za capturing and using my facial biometric data for identity verification in accordance with the Privacy Notice.”
2. Verify Your Identity
You’ll complete a secure facial recognition check with liveness detection and DHA cross-verification.
Then upload your Smart ID Card (front and back) to complete verification.
📸 Without a valid Smart ID, we cannot legally certify your documents.
We also run a quick compliance screening to ensure the platform isn’t misused for fraud or financial crime. This includes:
3. Upload the Document You Want Certified
From your dashboard, upload the document you want certified — such as:
Your file is encrypted and prepared for manual review by a Commissioner of Oaths.
4. Choose Your Subscription & Pay Securely
Select the subscription plan that suits you.
Oaths.co.za uses Yoco for safe, encrypted online payments.
⚖️ Important: You’re not paying for the certification itself — that’s free by law.
You’re subscribing to secure access, private cloud storage, audit logs, automated renewals, and legal traceability.
5. Commissioner Review & Certification
A duly appointed Commissioner of Oaths personally reviews and certifies your document as a true copy of the original.
Your document is digitally signed, timestamped, sealed with blockchain, and linked to a verifiable QR code.
📌 In Summary:
Getting started with Oaths.co.za is as easy as registering, verifying, uploading, and subscribing, within minutes, you’ll have a legally valid, digitally certified document accepted by banks, telcos, government departments, CIPC, universities, employers, and more.
✅ Yes — Oaths.co.za is available anywhere in the world.
As a secure, cloud-based platform, Oaths.co.za is accessible from anywhere — in South Africa or abroad. Whether you’re living overseas, traveling, or working remotely, you can securely verify your identity and get certified copies of your key documents — all 100% online.
🌐 A Special Welcome to the Global South African Community
We proudly support South African expats, digital nomads, students, and professionals living abroad.
At Oaths.co.za, we understand how difficult it can be to access a Commissioner of Oaths while overseas — especially for documents like your ID, Passport, Driver’s Licence, or Proof of Address.
Now, you don’t need to fly home or visit a consulate.
You can verify yourself and get legally certified documents from anywhere — in minutes.
You’re still SouthAfrican. Your rights to compliant, certified documentation shouldn’t be tied to where you are. We’re here to make that easy.
🛡️ Remote Access — Local Legal Compliance
✈️ Using Documents Abroad? Check Before You Submit
If you plan to use your certified documents internationally, please check whether the receiving institution or country requires additional steps, such as:
📌 In Summary:
Oaths.co.za is proudly built for South Africans — no matter where in the world they are.
If you’re part of the expat community, we welcome you. Your documents. Certified. Legally. From anywhere.
✅ Absolutely.
If you're a South African citizen living or working overseas, you can use Oaths.co.za to obtain legally certified digital copies of your key South African documents — including your:
You don’t need to return to South Africa, visit a consulate, or arrange in-person certification — everything is done securely online, in just a few minutes.
🧩 Perfect for South African Requirements While Abroad
Digitally certified documents are especially useful for managing affairs back home, such as:
All certifications are performed by duly appointed South African Commissioners of Oaths, in full alignment with:
🌍 Stay Connected — Wherever You Are
Your documents are:
Whether you’re in London, Dubai, Toronto, Perth, Berlin, or anywhere else — Oaths.co.za keeps you connected to the documents that keep your life moving forward.
📌 In Summary:
If you're a South African abroad — Oaths.co.za was built with you in mind.
One platform. One legal framework. All your key documents — certified and accessible, from anywhere.
Q1: How do we verify that a certified document is authentic?
All certified copies from Oaths.co.za include a QR-linked Digital Seal and real-time certificate accessible via phone or secure link or visit https://oaths.co.za/verification-portal to confirm the document’s authenticity, timestamp, and issuing Commissioner.
Q2: Is the digital certification legally valid under South African law?
Yes. All certifications on Oaths.co.za are fully compliant with the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Act, Regulation 6 of GN R1258 of 1972, and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA).
Every certification is performed by a duly appointed Commissioner of Oaths and supported by biometric, forensic, and blockchain-based verification systems.
Q3: What makes the document tamper-proof?
Every certified copy issued by Oaths.co.za carries:
Any alteration—whether to the file, signature, or metadata—will break the seal and immediately invalidate the certificate. This ensures third‑party verifiers can detect tampering instantly and confidently.
Q4: Can we request audit logs or confirm identity behind a certification?
Only if permitted under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
For access requests, we invite you to contact compliance@oaths.co.za with appropriate documentation.
Q5: Who are the Commissioners of Oaths that perform certifications?
All Commissioners on Oaths.co.za are:
Q6: How is identity verified during certification?
Our platform uses the following advanced identity verification techniques:
Q7: Can certified documents be reused or resubmitted?
Each certified copy is issued for a specific purpose and timestamped accordingly.
Institutions should always scan the QR code or visit the Verification Portal to confirm:
Q8: What if a QR code fails to verify or shows a mismatch?
This may indicate that the document has been tampered with, revoked, or is no longer valid.
Q9: 🔐 Enterprise-Grade Identity Verification
At Oaths.co.za, document integrity begins with rock-solid identity verification.
We partner with South Africa’s leading biometric and data validation providers to ensure every certified copy is based on verified, lawful identity.
Our process includes:
This ensures that the individual behind each certified document is real, present, and legally verifiable — not just a name on a file.
Oaths.co.za brings institutions a trusted, digitally forensically-auditable way to verify South African identities and protect against document fraud.
We’d be proud to support your compliance, onboarding, or verification process.
Q10: Is the Oaths.co.za platform independently secured or verified?
Yes. Oaths.co.za is built on an enterprise-grade security foundation to ensure institutional and user trust.
The platform is hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud, which provides:
Azure’s infrastructure is widely recognised for its reliability, compliance, and layered security approach.
In addition, Oaths.co.za is:
Every certified session is further protected by:
The TrustSite® seal displayed on our website confirms that Oaths.co.za undergoes daily, real-time third-party validation — upholding the highest standards of safety, privacy, and digital trust.
Q11: Can we partner with Oaths.co.za as a trusted source for certified documents?
Absolutely. Oaths.co.za is built not only for individuals, but also for the institutions that rely on trusted, tamper-proof certified documents to protect people, processes, and reputations.
We proudly invite partnerships with banks, courts, HR departments, educational institutions, SMMEs, SMEs, and regulatory bodies that value integrity, speed, and auditability in their document workflows — and that want to help build a better, safer Brand South Africa.
Every certified copy issued via Oaths.co.za includes:
✅ A complete forensic audit trail
✅ Blockchain-verified, timestamped certification
✅ Biometric and liveness-verified identity checks
✅ FIC AML, PEP/PIP, and sanctions screening
✅ Instant QR code verification from any smartphone
By working with us, your organisation can:
To explore a partnership or platform integration with Oaths.co.za, contact us at compliance@oaths.co.za
We would be honoured to support your mission — and help protect the integrity of your business, your customers, and our country.
Oaths.co.za is currently designed for individual South Africans who need fast, digital access to certified documents like Smart IDs, Driver’s Licences, Passports, and Proof of Address.
However, we are already in planning and discussion with several South African SMEs and companies who’ve reached out to explore a business-focused solution.
Our upcoming business model will include:
This will make onboarding and regulatory compliance faster, simpler, and 100% trustworthy — without compromising legal integrity.
🤝 Let’s Collaborate
If you represent a business or organisation interested in partnering with Oaths for client onboarding or compliance support, we’d love to hear from you.
📩 Contact us at compliance@oaths.co.za
Let’s build smarter, more compliant certification for South Africa — together.
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