Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner Anele Gxoyiya says it is imperative that forensic science laboratories are well-resourced with appropriately designed state-of-the-art instruments and are adequately staffed, given the high rate of violent crime in the country.
Gxoyiya said a well-functioning criminal justice system is vital to ensure that citizens are and feel safe.
"The forensic science laboratories of the South African Police Service are a key role player within the criminal justice system, with the mandate to support the investigation of crime through the processing of crime scenes, analysing forensic evidence and maintenance of criminal records," he said.
Briefing media in Pretoria during the release of the commission's quarterly bulletin of the Pulse of the Public Service earlier today, Gxoyiya said it was for this reason the commission took the decision to conduct inspections at all the forensic science laboratories across the country.
The key function of the laboratories is to process and analyse case exhibits and draft forensic reports which form the basis of the court testimony during criminal proceedings.
"With backlogs, the laboratories cannot fulfil their critical role effectively and are therefore contributing to delays in the criminal justice system and as a result, justice is not served, especially to the most vulnerable.
"The PSC is currently monitoring the management of the overall backlog within the laboratories across all the sections with full cooperation from SAPS.
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"Challenges in the processing and analysis of case exhibits lead to delays in the dispensation of justice and result in various negative impacts, such as delays in cases going to trial.
"With the current scourge in gender-based violence-related crimes in the country, especially since COVID-19, delays in the processing and analysis of case exhibits allowing possible repeat offences leading to a failure in the fight against these crimes cannot be tolerated," Gxoyiya said.
Forensic science is the application of scientific methods in the investigation of crime and specifically the examination of physical exhibit material.
The Forensic Science Laboratory of the South African Police Service was formed on 15 January 1971 with the Biology, Chemistry and Electronics Units. A new building complex was occupied in March 1987, with the Ballistic and Question Document Unit (which before this had resided under the SA Criminal Bureau), which was amalgamated with the Forensic Science Laboratory.
In 2000, a decision was made to amalgamate the Explosive Investigation Service with the forensic science laboratory.
In addition to the main laboratory in Pretoria, decentralised offices were established in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban.
The laboratories in Pretoria and the Western Cape consists of all the units, while the Eastern Cape Laboratory has ballistic and chemistry units, and the laboratory in KwaZulu-Natal consists of a ballistics unit.
