New system in place to solve backlog in DNA testing in SA
The South African Police Service says interventions are now in place to deal with the DNA testing backlog in the country.
The service previously said there was a backlog of over 170 000 samples.
It says about R250 million was set aside to clear it.
Police spokesperson, Vishnu Naidoo says a system to track and trace forensic exhibits is now up and running.
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"This follows a reported "disappearance" of millions of forensic exhibits at the National Forensic DNA Database due to the Property Control and Exhibit Management (PCEM) system being shut down by the service provider in June 2020."
"In fact, these exhibits were stored in the Forensic Service Laboratory Administration System and could only be accessed manually," says Naidoo.
Since then, the South African Police Service has worked together with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) and developed the Forensic Exhibit Management (FEM) System.
This new system, which also has a track and trace functionality, replaced the previous system run by the service provider. The FEM system can now speedily locate the source and storage of the forensic evidence.
