The Police Ministry, led by Minister Senzo Mchunu, says the improvement of efficiency in SAPS forensic services is one of its priorities, as this is crucial in securing successful prosecutions.
Image: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers
Anger, frustration, depression, hopelessness, anxiety, hypervigilance, and loss of trust in law enforcement and legal institutions are common emotional responses victims exhibit due to delayed justice, which often stems from forensic lab delays.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is currently battling a backlog of more than 140,000 cases in DNA, which has been blamed for slowing down justice for victims of crime in the country.
Nqobile Kweyama, an educational psychologist and lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, said that victims’ emotional responses worsen when the delays result in acquittals or dropped cases, leading to a feeling that their suffering has been ignored or invalidated.
“Prolonged forensic delays often force victims to live in a state of limbo, with no closure or justice. This uncertainty can exacerbate feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and fear. For many survivors, particularly of violent crimes or sexual violence, the delay reopens emotional wounds each time the case resurfaces without resolution. It not only impedes their healing process but can also undermine their trust in the justice system,” Kweyama said.
She added that South Africa has some of the highest rates of gender-based violence and violent crime globally. Victims, many of whom already struggle with socioeconomic vulnerability, are doubly burdened by the systemic delays.
“These backlogs can result in perpetrators remaining free in communities, which can lead to intimidation of victims and secondary victimisation. Furthermore, when key forensic evidence is delayed, cases may be thrown out or significantly weakened, undermining the credibility of the justice system,” she said.
There is an urgent need for a multi-pronged approach, she said.
“Invest in forensic infrastructure by improving the capacity and efficiency of forensic laboratories through increased funding, staffing, and technology. Establish clear turnaround targets by implementing and monitoring strict timelines for forensic testing to ensure accountability.
“Enhance victim communication by keeping victims informed about case progress and expected delays, as silence breeds distrust. Strengthen trauma-informed support services. Psychological and legal support must be made more accessible, particularly for vulnerable groups. Finally, improving interdepartmental collaboration for better coordination between police, labs, courts, and victim support units can reduce systemic bottlenecks,” Kweyama said.
Ian Cameron, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, recently warned that the DNA backlog exceeding 140,000 cases means that thousands of victims might never see the justice they are entitled to, while violent criminals remain free to continue terrorising innocent people.
“The committee has always maintained that DNA evidence represents the only lifeline for rape survivors and other victims of violent crime, yet SAPS’s continued mismanagement of forensic services has created an environment where justice is delayed, denied and outright sabotaged,” Cameron said.
He added that this crisis is a direct threat to an effective criminal justice system that can process and prosecute criminals and efforts to combat gender-based violence.
“It is inconceivable that despite various interactions and interventions, as well as reprioritisation of funding to resolve the backlog and ensure science-based prosecution of cases, the backlog remains stubbornly high, which could lead to the removal of cases from the courts’ roll. Those in positions of authority must be held accountable for this mess, as it represents a clear case of dereliction of duty,” Cameron said.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the national spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Image: Supplied / SAPS
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, SAPS national spokesperson, said the SAPS's heightened operations caused the influx of exhibits material.
“The current challenge is a high influx of buccal samples for intelligence purposes, due to heightened policing strategies. It is projected that 30,000 cases are finalised per month. The normal expected turnaround times for DNA analysis are 90 calendar days, and urgent cases are processed within 14 working days.
“Personnel needs have been submitted for the capacitation of the laboratory. The Forensic Science Laboratories are equipped with modernised equipment/instruments, and the laboratory is continuously replacing equipment/instruments as and when the need arises in line with the equipment replacement strategy,” Mathe said.
The SAPS has four laboratories in the country, of which three are fully operational in Gauteng, Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape. The KwaZulu-Natal Laboratory is currently not being utilised optimally due to flooding. The analysis of exhibits for Biology and Chemistry is conducted in Gauteng and Western Cape, she said.
Mathe added that the servicing of equipment is currently done on a quotation basis. The relevant specifications were submitted to supply chain management for evaluation. The laboratory has also submitted a proposal for the full implementation of the equipment replacement strategy.
Professor Nirmala Gopal, a senior criminology lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said the SAPS must start with the basics, employ personnel with skills, and get away with jobs for pals and nepotism if it wants to enhance efficiency and accountability within the Forensic Science Laboratory.
Gopal stated that poor management is the largest contributor to ineffective services at the SAPS’ Forensic Service Laboratories, coupled with employing incorrect skills.
She said there must be greater accountability and the Police Department must account to Parliament quarterly.
The increased funding must focus on expanding the number of laboratories, training and retraining personnel, and recruiting highly skilled and competent professionals for greater effectiveness. The laboratories are extremely essential in the chain of successful convictions, she said.
“Critical to a better outcome is the need for greater human and infrastructural investment to expedite laboratory testing. Currently, these labs do not have the capacity that corresponds to the number of cases. Statistics demonstrate erratic crime commission patterns warranting greater access to laboratory testing.
“The state should make all necessary policy and other legislative amendments holding relevant departments to greater accountability through performance management and consequences management,” Gopal said.
Kamogelo Mogotsi, spokesperson for the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, said: “The Ministry has identified, as one of its priorities, the improvement of efficiency in the SAPS’s forensic services, as this is crucial in securing successful prosecutions. To this end, the Ministry is looking to increase the number of laboratories and equip them with state-of-the-art technologies.”
gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za