DNA backlog 117 000 and climbing - SAPS must approach private labs urgently
6 December 2020
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to National Police Commissioner, General Kehla Sitole, to request that he urgently investigates partnerships with private laboratories to tackle the backlog in DNA samples at the National Forensic Science Laboratories (NFSL) which now stands at 117 736.
See breakdown for all sections in the Division: Forensic Services here:
|
Category |
Biology Eastern Cape |
Biology KwaZulu-Natal |
Biology Head Quarters |
Biology Western Cape |
Total |
|
Unclassified > 35 Days |
2 599 |
3 174 |
12 145 |
8 398 |
26 316 |
|
Routine > 35 Days |
68 |
30 |
2 014 |
1 979 |
4 091 |
|
DNA Intelligence > 90 Days |
0 |
0 |
23 209 |
11 776 |
34 985 |
|
Non Routine > 113 Days |
0 |
0 |
15 |
12 |
27 |
|
RI Intelligence > 91 Days |
0 |
0 |
35 082 |
17 235 |
52 317 |
|
Total |
2 667 |
3 204 |
72 465 |
39 400 |
117 736 |
The DA in the sixth Parliament has been raising the alarm on challenges with DNA testing at the NFSL since 2019. I raised my concerns in the Portfolio Committee on Police repeatedly and requested detailed presentations from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the NFSL.
The Committee finally received a presentation on 11 November 2020 almost exactly one year from when concerns were first raised. While a turnaround plan to tackle the backlog was tabled in that meeting, the Committee raised serious concerns as to whether it was achievable given the capacity challenges, Covid workplace restrictions and the fact that many contracts are not yet in place.
It has become clear that SAPS has mismanaged the supply chain processes leading to a disruption in the award of contracts bringing testing to a halt. Shortages in consumables and reagent, while currently being addressed, have been a major problem since the 2nd quarter of the 2019/20 financial year. Without these critical consumables and reagent no DNA testing can be done. To make matters worse SAPS has allowed the maintenance contract for sensitive robotics and other specialised equipment at the Western Cape laboratory to lapse. These machines cannot be used until they are calibrated to the correct standard.
SAPS must now urgently explore partnerships with well equipped private laboratories to assist, where possible, in dealing with the backlog in DNA testing. Every day more and more DNA case exhibits arrive at our labs and every day the backlog becomes even more insurmountable. The victims and families of victims are left suffering waiting for answers while the perpetrators of violent crimes roam free, in many cases committing further crimes.
DNA remains the most critical piece of evidence in the criminal justice value chain and it must be treated as a priority by ensuring that backlogs of this nature never occur again.
Issued by Andrew Whitfield, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 6 December 2020
