The South African Police Service (SAPS) has detailed a series of planning, monitoring, and evaluation measures aimed at addressing the country’s substantial DNA case backlog, which currently stands at over 140,000 entries.

In a written parliamentary response, the SAPS acknowledged the mounting pressure on the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), attributing the surge in outstanding cases largely to the increased volume of intelligence-related samples submitted for analysis. These samples, while not court-bound, are used to support ongoing investigations and constitute the majority of the current backlog.

Between the 2021/22 and 2024/25 financial years, registered forensic case entries rose by 24.6%, from 307,826 to 383,614 samples. Over the same period, the number of registered intelligence entries rose even more steeply, by 57%, from 208,197 to 326,272. Despite these increases, SAPS reports that its laboratories analysed 275,994 case exhibits by the end of the third quarter of 2024/25, close to matching the 284,529 exhibits processed in the full 2021/22 financial year. The total for 2024/25 is projected to reach approximately 350,000 completed analyses, representing an anticipated 18% increase over 2021/22.

As of the end of the third quarter, 141,190 DNA entries exceeded the prescribed turnaround timelines. Of these, 112,489 were intelligence entries, while 28,701 were court-bound cases still in process. The SAPS states that the latter are prioritised in collaboration with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), particularly under the ongoing SAPS/NPA project initiated in July 2021. This project has so far prioritised 52,101 gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) related cases, based on court-directed requests.

The backlog has been compounded by Operation Shanela, a SAPS initiative involving high-density weekly operations targeting violent crime hotspots. While the operation has increased arrests, it has also led to a significant rise in forensic sample submissions to the FSL.

In response, the FSL has implemented several operational strategies to manage the load:

• Daily, weekly, and monthly national monitoring of forensic case throughput, led by an appointed Operational Manager.
• Ongoing oversight of procurement to ensure availability of reagents and consumables.
• Fast-tracked equipment repairs to minimise operational downtime.
• A project-based approach to expedite the finalisation of incoming cases.
• Redistribution of casework across laboratories to balance workloads.
• Approval of overtime to increase processing capacity when needed.
• Quarterly coordination meetings between the SAPS, NPA, and detectives to prioritise court-imminent cases and prevent delays in court proceedings.
• Infrastructure planning, including efforts to secure alternative premises for the KwaZulu-Natal Forensic Science Laboratory, which will include a new DNA facility.

Although SAPS did not provide a detailed list of key performance indicators (KPIs), it highlighted its current metrics, including case throughput, turnaround time adherence, and backlog volume, as central to tracking progress. Monitoring mechanisms are built into the laboratory’s daily and strategic operations, with emphasis on equitable distribution of analysis and inter-agency collaboration.

While the SAPS has taken concrete steps to manage and reduce the DNA backlog, the ongoing increase in sample submissions continues to place pressure on forensic resources. The success of current measures will be key in determining whether the FSL can keep pace with demand and meet turnaround targets.