As we observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the SAPS management confirmed there is a light at the end of the tunnel on the DNA testing backlog.
According to a statement, great strides have been made to overcome the backlog in DNA testing; the system to track and trace forensic exhibits is now fully up and running. This follows a reported “disappearance” of millions of forensic exhibits at the National Forensic DNA Database due to the Property Control and Exhibit Management system being shut down by the service provider in June.
These exhibits were stored in the forensic service laboratory administration system and could only be accessed manually.
SAPS states they have been working with the State Information Technology Agency and developed the Forensic Exhibit Management (FEM) system. This new system, which also has a track-and-trace functionality, replaced the previous system run by the service provider. The FEM system can speedily locate the source and storage of forensic evidence.
Brig Vish Naidoo, the national spokesperson for SAPS, said, “The FEM system went live on April 6 and approximately 10 million samples from the forensic laboratory admin system have been loaded into the FEM system, where samples can be tracked and traced at the click of a button.
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Nearly 25 000 new exhibits have also been loaded into this system. The testing of specimens for DNA also reached a bottleneck, which resulted in an accumulative backlog of over 170 000 samples. This emanated from the shortage of Quantification Kits or so-called ‘DNA consumables’ that are essential for DNA testing at the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratories.”
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According to Naidoo, with all the new measures put in place, the management of the police service believes a resolution is well within reach.
