DNA-testing crisis needs a plan from govt

Thousands of victims of rape are going through additional anguish, knowing their wait for justice is being extended – or that they may never even see the perpetrators brought to book – because the police forensic system responsible for DNA testing is in a shambles.

The backlog at the National Forensic Science Laboratories (NFSL), which is the government organisation which does the tests, now stands at a scarcely believable 117 736, according to the Democratic Alliance (DA). The DA has called on National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole to urgently consider partnerships with private laboratories to tackle the backlog.

The tragedy of the situation is not that it is, yet again, proof of government inefficiency and sloth, but that it will be a major impediment to the campaigns to reduce gender-based violence (GBV), and specifically rape.

If a rapist knows he (most perpetrators are men) is unlikely to get caught on the basis of physical evidence, or that he will wait years to ever appear in court, what is to deter him?

This is definitely one area of government which can be opened up effectively to either privatisation or partnerships.

A national crisis, such as there is with GBV, demands a national response.

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