Cele says police have cleared 99% of DNA backlog

Minister of Police Bheki Cele, at Friday’s release of the country’s third quarter crime statistics, announced that the South African Police Service (Saps) has cleared its DNA backlog.

“As of yesterday, 16 February 2023, the DNA backlog which was initially over 241 000 is now at 1 600. This is a 99.3% reduction in the country’s DNA backlog figures,” he said.

He went on the confirm that his department had completed the building and capacitation of the laboratory in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, which he assured would drastically relieve pressure from the Western Cape laboratory going forward.

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“As of today the Saps and NPA project has resulted in 25 599 prioritized GBVF related court ready cases, which have been successfully enrolled.

“As I conclude, police are using what is at their disposal amid budget cuts and growing population to police a violent society,” he added.

December 2022 backlog

In December last year, Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said that the police ministry had made significant progress in reducing the DNA backlog in an effort to create a safer festive season.

Masemola said that the backlog then stood at 64 000 (as of 8 December 2022), which was reduced by 55.02% since March 2022.

During the GBVF summit held in November last year, Cele did not directly answer questions relating to the backlog, which had resulted in a number of perpetrators walking free.

The clearing on the backlog will now mean justice for a number of rape and sexual assault victims who have been waiting for the law to take its course.

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Cele also announced that the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act also referred to as the (DNA Act) will come into effect on 3 March 2023.

“The DNA Act is a crucial weapon in the police’s arsenal of crime-fighting tools against GBVF, specifically with regard to the identification of offenders.

“This piece of legislation will remove serial rapists off our streets.

“In our resolve to ensure perpetrators of violence against women, children and vulnerable groups are brought to book, police are sharpening their responses to gender-based violence and femicide from an operational and legislative point of view,” he added.