The South African Police Service (SAPS) was unable to achieve a single performance target in the Forensic Laboratory Services (FLS). This underachievement was highlighted by the Portfolio Committee on Police when the Minister of Police and top management of SAPS presented their annual report to the committee as part of the Budget Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR) process last week.
In terms of Section 5 of the Money Bills Amendment Procedures and Related Matters Act No 9 of 2009, the National Assembly, through its committees, must annually compile BRRRs that assess departments’ service delivery performance given the resources available. Committees are also expected to provide an assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of each departments’ use of available resources and may include recommendations on the forward use of resources. It is in this context that the FSL’s underperformance concerns the committee.
In a country struggling with rampant gender-based violence (GBV), the committee characterised the inability to meet targets as undermining the fight against GBV. The Human Sciences Research Council revealed that one-third (33.1%) of South African women over the age of 18 have experienced physical violence in their lifetime, and 9.8% have experienced sexual violence.
“In a country struggling with the scourge of gender-based violence, the non-performance of forensic laboratories is an indictment on the SAPS and undermines efforts to secure justice for victims,” Police Portfolio Committee Chair Ian Cameron emphasised.
SAPS’s own report highlighted that crimes against women increased by 0.52% (from 202,633 in 2023/24 to 203,692 in 2024/25) while crimes against children rose by 2.15% (from 46,052 to 47,044). The increase in these categories of crime, according to the committee, called for increased focus on using forensic evidence to prosecute offenders. The committee emphasised that delays in processing forensic analysis, including DNA testing, stall investigations, delay justice and erode confidence in the criminal justice system.
The committee also highlighted that in its last oversight to the FSL offices in Durban, the refurbishing of the laboratory had taken too long, putting a further strain on other laboratories across the country. While the National Commissioner, Fanie Masemola, sought to assure the committee that they are putting measures in place to resolve challenges within the FSL environment, the committee argued that these measures have been promised for a while now, yet tangible results are not visible. The committee also questioned SAPS’s inability to renew contracts timeously for essential functions within the FSL environment .
The committee re-emphasised its commitment to enhance oversight over this function to ensure optimal benefit from the FSL environment.
