Cops make ‘inroads’ in tackling DNA backlog

According to the police ministry, the police were reportedly making inroads in tackling the DNA backlog at their forensic laboratories.

“The police ministry and SAPS management are rolling out the turnaround strategy to tackle the backlog,” police minister Bheki Cele said.

“We are confident that we will soon be able to announce progress made on the DNA backlog.”

Cele made the pronouncement during the release of the latest crime statistics for quarter 2 – recorded between July and September 2021 – last week.

During the briefing, Cele also announced he was encouraged that victims and survivors of rape and other sexual assaults would have access to rape kits at their nearest police stations.

In 2019, the shortage of rape kits, both paediatric and adult, made headlines when it was revealed that there was a national shortage thereof.

The information about the shortage of the rape kits was made available to DA shadow police minister Andrew Whitfield by national commissioner General Khehla Sitole.

Whitfield said 76% of police stations in the country did not have adult rape kits while 69% did not have pediatric kits.

The shortage was attributed to a delay in the awarding of a tender.

“It is encouraging that victims and survivors of rape and sexual assaults will at times have access to an evidence collection kit also known as a ‘rape kit’ at their nearest police station,” Cele said during the briefing.

He further said that their efforts avoid secondary victimisation at police stations was prevailing through the roll-out of GBV [gender-based violence] desks.

“These GBV desks are manned by police officers, specifically trained to provide victim-centred assistance to victims of GBV.

“To date, 134 such desks are in operation and the goal is to have a GBV desk in all police stations countrywide,” Cele said, adding that the majority of police stations currently had victim-friendly facilities.