Section 3

Any public officer acting under the direction of the Director‑General or any police officer may take in the officer’s charge any destitute person and deliver that person to the custody of the Director‑General.

If the Director‑General has reasonable cause to believe that any person so delivered into his or her custody has no visible means of subsistence, he or she may arrange for that person to be temporarily admitted into a welfare home until the Director‑General has held an inquiry.

Every such inquiry must be completed within a period of 30 days from the date of that person’s admission into a welfare home or such further period, not exceeding 30 days, as the Minister may approve.

If after holding the inquiry the Director‑General is satisfied that the person is a destitute person within the meaning of this Act, the Director‑General may by warrant under his or her hand require that person to reside in a welfare home.