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AfriForum has requested the Portfolio Committee on Police to investigate the viability of utilising private laboratories and university forensic facilities to process DNA evidence in criminal cases. This comes as the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Forensic Science Laboratory has once again exceeded a DNA backlog of 140 000 cases, leaving thousands of victims without justice and allowing violent criminals to remain on the streets.

Despite repeated assurances from the SAPS that the backlog would be addressed, the crisis has spiralled out of control. Service contracts for forensic equipment have expired and remain unrenewed, tenders have lapsed and crucial forensic instruments are sitting idle. Some DNA evidence has even taken over a decade just to be captured in the system.

AfriForum believes that privatisation is the only logical solution. The government has repeatedly proven itself incapable of managing forensic services efficiently and unless urgent action is taken, thousands of criminal cases could be struck from the court roll due to evidence processing failures. Universities and private forensic institutions in South Africa already possess the necessary expertise and infrastructure to help alleviate the crisis, yet the SAPS has ignored previous recommendations to partner with them.

“This failure by the SAPS is a direct threat to justice,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety. “If the government is incapable of doing the job then it must allow those who can do it, to step in. Every day that this backlog grows, criminals walk free and victims are denied closure. We are calling for immediate intervention to ensure that DNA evidence is processed swiftly and justice is served.”

AfriForum will continue to push for solutions that ensure a functional and efficient forensic system and urges the Portfolio Committee on Police to take swift action in addressing this urgent crisis.

Issued by AfriForum