Forensic backlog hampers courts
2009-03-16 20:02
Cape Town - Backlogs at forensic science laboratories are hampering police investigations and delaying court cases, the DA said on Monday.
"Forensic science laboratories play a key role in linking perpetrators to crime scenes, so when forensic labs face protracted delays, this actively hampers police investigations, delays court cases and totally disrupts the smooth running of the criminal justice system," Democratic Alliance MP Dianne Kohler Barnard said in a statement.
Kohler Barnard said information had been made available to the DA that suggested that the total number of sample backlogs across South Africa was roughly double the 11 758 stated by the Minister of Safety and Security Nathi Mthethwa.
"We are also informed that backlogs in the Western Cape alone stand at approximately 18 000 samples.
"This stands in stark contrast to the information supplied by the minister, who claimed that the backlog in that province stands at less than 10 000, and that the backlog countrywide stands at 11 758."
Kohler Barnard asked Mthethwa in the National Assembly on February 13 for the number of backlog cases nationally and provincially.
She also asked what the average waiting period was for forensic results to be received by the investigating officials and how many police members were trained to work at forensic science laboratories.
Mthethwa replied that by January 31 the majority of the backlogs, 9 630, were in chemistry forensics in the Western Cape. There were 11 758 backlogs countrywide.
By the end of January 2009, the average waiting period for forensic results to be received by investigation officers was 68 days.
Some 354 people worked at the Forensic Science Laboratory, while 100 posts for forensic analysts were being filled.
- SAPA
