The Standing Committee on Community Safety invited the National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL) to brief the SC on circumstances regarding the DNA testing backlog in the Western Cape today. This follows after an invitation was extended to SAPS NFSL on 19 February 2021 and although the Provincial Commissioner sent a representative, the NFSL did not appear and no reasons were given. The Committee has now resolved to schedule an oversight visit to the Forensic Science Laboratory to see for ourselves what is going on.
On the 2nd of March 2021, it was revealed that the DNA testing backlog increased by 51% at a national level since October last year, despite the announcement of a turnaround plan in November 2020. If we are to follow the same trend in the Western Cape, the new DNA testing backlog could be as large as 60 400 samples to date. The NFSL undertakes the processing and analysis of human DNA for the purposes of determining whether an individual was present at a crime scene or to link relevant items, containing genetic material, related to crime scenes.
The DNA backlog challenge has serious knock-on effects for the entire police service. This is even more concerning when considering the evident spike in criminal activity across the Cape Flats last week, and that the President declared Gender Based Violence a second pandemic. However, with a backlog of 172 000 samples, we are not seeing enough done to support the criminal justice system and the need for retribution.
Though I acknowledge the attendance of the representative from the office of the Provincial Police Commissioner, DNA analysis remains a national competency and SAPS NFSL attendance would have assisted in establishing an urgent understanding of the circumstances in the province, as well as a constructive way forward.
As Chairperson of the Standing Committee, I will again seek to find the earliest available time to schedule the oversight visit to the lab itself in order be briefed by NFSL as requested last month. This is in the interest of accountability to every resident awaiting justice in our province.
