KZN police forensics lab crippled by flood damage

An oversight visit to the South African Police Service (SAPS) forensic science laboratory in Amanzimtoti revealed catastrophic flood damage.

Member of Parliament, Dianne Kohler-Barnard and ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge conducted the visit on Friday, 27 October, which revealed that the lab had flooded during the storm of 10 October, but also a further three times since 2010.

The laboratory section, which is housed in the old Perm building along Bjorseth Crescent in the old CBD, is currently closed while the 120 staff members have been moved to the three other national laboratories in Gauteng, Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

The cost of commuting, accommodation and moving thousands of case specimens related to predominantly drug and rape cases, promises to run into the millions.

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The findings have prompted parliamentary questions to national police minister, Fikile Mbalula, asking for a firm start and projected completion date of the long-anticipated provincial forensic laboratory in Pinetown.

This against the backdrop of:

* Land for the new laboratory having been purchased eight years ago.

* Laboratory staff being spread across four different buildings in the area, rented by Public Works, to process evidence from across KZN.

* Evidence in relation to 456 drug cases being lost after they were stored at ground level and when the water level rose, they were compromised, along with the loss of thousands of man-hours.

* The rented buildings being deemed unfit for use.

* The expert unit which examines ballistics is housed in a building where a projectile travelled through a wall and became lodged inside the computer screen in a neighbouring office.

* The KZN Forensic unit is only staffed with 262 people, while the organogram allows for 500.

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“These findings serve to compound the Health Department’s catastrophic forensic chemistry labs where there is evidence of blood samples related to blood alcohol cases being poured down drains or remaining unprocessed and post-mortem samples lying untouched for years,” said Cllr Beetge.

“The failure to provide timely and professional analysis of blood samples, rape kits, ballistics and other evidence causes delays in the investigation and processing of crimes which could result in criminals walking free due to a lack of evidence. Likewise, death by unnatural causes where the lack of concrete results could deprive families of closure. Further action will be dictated by the Minister of Police’s response to questions.”

The SUN sent queries to the SAPS KZN media centre, however no response was forthcoming.