SAPS reduced DNA backlog by almost 30%, says Bheki Cele

The South African Police Service (SAPS) on Monday announced it had reduced its DNA analysis backlog from 240,000 to 71,000 cases.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said the backlog was caused by administrative issues and one testing centre being flooded with cases.

The backlog has resulted in many court cases which require DNA results to proceed.

Cele said the DNA test backlog has derailed the government’s response in the fight against gender-based violence.

He also admitted that the majority of these were linked to cases of rape, women abuse, and murders.

Cele added that this was despite his department having invested hundreds of millions of rands to reduce the backlog.

“The top 30 stations that have a high level of rape are given extra money, around R100 million, so that they are able to short circuit the way of responding,” he said.

Cele said there was a separate team working on processing new DNA results to prevent adding onto the backlog: “But that does not mean at the present moment we are not working with prosecution to fast track those cases that are ready from the side of the NPA but would have been delayed by the DNA.”

The ministry has revised its deadline for clearing the backlog from the end of October this year to the end of January next year.

-EWN

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