Amended Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act

(1)           Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, an employee shall be entitled to the compensation provided for and prescribed in this Act if it is proved to the satisfaction of the Director-General-

(a)          that the employee has contracted a disease mentioned in the first column of Schedule 3 and that such disease has arisen out of and in the course of his or her employment; or

(b)          that the employee has contracted a disease other than a disease contemplated in paragraph (a) and that such disease has arisen out of and in the course of his or her employment.

(2)           If the employee has contracted a disease referred to in subsection (1) and the commissioner is of the opinion that the recovery of the employee is being delayed or that his temporary total disablement is being prolonged by reason of some other disease of which the employee is suffering, he may approve medical aid also for such other disease for so long as he may deem it necessary.

(3)           If an employee has contracted a disease referred to in subsection (1) resulting in permanent disablement and that disease is aggravated by some other disease, the Director-General may in determining the degree of permanent disablement have regard to the effect of such other disease.

(4)           Subject to section 66, a right to benefits in terms of this Chapter shall lapse if any disease referred to in subsection (1) is not brought to the attention of the commissioner or the employer or mutual association concerned, as the case may be, within 12 months from the commencement of that disease.

(5)           For the purposes of this Act the commencement of a disease referred to in subsection (1) shall be deemed to be the date on which a medical practitioner diagnosed that disease for the first time or such earlier date as the Director-General may determine if it is more favourable to the employee.

(6)           The provisions of this Act regarding an accident shall apply mutatis mutandis to a disease referred to in subsection (1), except where such provisions are clearly inappropriate.