Lack of forensic resources denying justice
The DA has been informed that an elderly woman's murder case has been delayed for six months due to a lack of forensic resources. This raises serious questions as to how many other cases are being delayed and victims denied justice due to SAPS supply chain mismanagement.
Today, the Office of the National Police Commissioner welcomed anyone to visit their state-of-the-art forensic laboratories. The DA will take them up on this offer and see for ourselves whether allegations of a lack of resources and qualified staff are true.
Dawn Rogers's 76 year old mother, Lorraine Shepheard, was murdered on 26 January 2013 in the cottage on her property. Ms Rogers was informed by the National Prosecuting Authority this week that the case cannot move forward as the forensic laboratory currently has no stock of the substances used to extract DNA from nail clippings and they weren't sure when they would receive new stock.
There are suspects, but without the relevant DNA, they are still walking the streets of Port Elizabeth six months after the murder.
This is not the first time a forensic lab has been without the necessary resources. Earlier this year, we were informed that the R75-million Genetic Sample Processing System (GSPS) at the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory was gathering dust because the lab had run out of the necessary consumables to use it.
Forensic science expert, Dr David Klatzow, has also informed us that the X-ray machine at the Pretoria lab has been broken for over a year and that less than 2% of the experts have the required qualifications to present evidence in court.
Last week the Head of Quality Management for Forensic Services, Major-General Adeline Shezi proudly declared that South Africa's forensic services "are one of the top five in the world". We might have the top equipment in the world but this is useless if the necessary resources aren't available to use them.
The lack of resources could be the reason why the forensics backlog is soaring once again. The number of forensic exhibits processed dropped from 94% in 2010/11 to 77.4% in 2011/12.
The public pays billions of rands for these laboratories, in the hopes that criminals will be successfully apprehended and jailed. We need forensic laboratories which are properly resourced and staffed to ensure that justice is never delayed or denied and that our efforts to tackle high levels of crime in South Africa are successful.
Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, July 10 2013
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