S.Africa: Collapsing: Enormous backlog in Gauteng’s Forensic Department ties hands of courts

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[The original article is in Afrikaans below. Jan]

The enormous backlog with the compilation of forensic reports by the Gauteng Police Service’s Forensic Department illustrates the challenges that members of this specialist division face on a daily basis.

The response to a question by the FF Plus to the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko, regarding the backlog with forensic investigations indicated that on 4 March this year, the number stood at 149 391.

Mazibuko also confirmed that only 35 quantification sets had been received by the laboratory in Pretoria by 4 March 2021. These sets are used in conducting forensic investigations and preparing reports.

The lack of personnel and equipment hampers forensic technicians’ task of preparing cases for court. As a result, courts are put under pressure because forensic reports are not submitted in time. And courts have no choice but to repeatedly postpone the hearings of cases while awaiting these reports.

The backlogs in the various forensic divisions are as follows:

• Biological (comparing the victim and perpetrator’s bodily fluids and hair samples as well as doing DNA analysis) – 111 342
• Ballistic (firearm analysis) – 9 849
• Chemical (investigations relating to fires, drugs, chemically matching paint samples in car accidents etc.) – 26 679
• Scientific (investigations into forensic samples of materials, fluids, medicine, poisonous substances etc.) – 1 474
• Suspect documents (the investigation of documents, such as wills, title deeds, contracts, ID documents, hand-written documents etc.) – 44
• The identification of victims – 3

Mazibuko indicated that routine evidence is usually ready within 35 days from registration, non-routine evidence is finalised 113 days after registration and ballistic evidence after 90 days from registration.

The FF Plus is not satisfied with the report’s findings and will request Mazibuko to provide more detail to the Gauteng Legislature’s Committee on Community Safety so that the pressing problems can be addressed.

It is unfair that court proceedings are delayed and victims’ rights are violated due to a lack of personnel and equipment.

The FF Plus will ask Mazibuko once again to establish cooperation between public and private laboratories so as to catch up on the backlog.

The original Afrikaans:

Die enorme agterstand van die Gautengse polisie se forensiese departement in die voorbereiding van forensiese verslae, bevestig die uitdagings waarmee lede van dié gespesialiseerde afdeling daagliks te doene kry.

Op ‘n vraag van die VF Plus aan die Gautengse LUR vir gemeenskapsveiligheid, Faith Mazibuko, oor die agterstand van forensiese ondersoeke, is aangedui dat die syfer op 4 Maart vanjaar 149 391 was.

Mazibuko het ook bevestig dat slegs 35 kwantifiseringstelle op 4 Maart vanjaar by die laboratorium in Pretoria ontvang is. Die stelle word in die voorbereiding van forensiese ondersoeke gebruik.

Die tekort aan personeel en toerusting bemoeilik forensiese tegnici se werksaamhede in die voorbereiding van sake. Dit plaas howe onder druk omdat forensiese verslae nie betyds ingehandig kan word nie. Howe is dus genoodsaak om sake telkens uit te stel in afwagting van die verslae.

Die agterstand in die verskillende forensiese afdelings word as volg aangedui:

• Biologies (vergelyking van die slagoffer en verdagte se liggaamsvloeistowwe, haarmonsters en DNS-analise) – 111 342
• Ballisties (vuurwapen-analise) – 9 849
• Chemies (ondersoeke in misdade rakende brand, dwelms, chemiese ooreenstemming van verfmonsters in motorongelukke en meer) – 26 679
• Wetenskaplik – (ondersoek van forensiese monsters van materiale, vloeistowwe, medisyne, gifstowwe en meer) – 1 474
• Verdagte dokumente (dokument-ondersoeke van testament, titelaktes, kontrakte, ID-dokumente, handgeskrewe dokumente, ens.) – 44
• Slagoffer-identifisering – 3

Mazibuko het aangedui roetine-bewysstukke is binne 35 dae na registrasie gereed, nie-roetine bewysstukke is 113 dae na registrasie afgehandel en ballistiese bewysstukke 90 dae na registrasie.

Die VF Plus is nie tevrede met die verslag nie en gaan Mazibuko versoek om die Gautengse wetgewerkomitee vir gemeenskapsveiligheid meer breedvoerig in te lig sodat wesenlike probleme behoorlik behandel kan word.

Dit is onregverdig dat hofprosesse vertraag word en slagoffers se regte benadeel word weens personeel- en toerustingtekorte.

Die VF Plus gaan Mazibuko verder versoek om dringend met private laboratoriums saam te werk om agterstande af te handel .

Source: https://southafricatoday.net/south-africa-news/gauteng/enormous-backlog-in-gautengs-forensic-department-ties-hands-of-courts/