Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele says the South African Police Service (SAPS) has almost completed the process of clearing the DNA testing backlog at its forensic service laboratories.
Addressing a Post Cabinet media briefing held in Pretoria on Thursday, Gungubele, said this breakthrough will ensure that gender-based violence-related cases are speedily resolved.
“The SAPS has also added additional DNA testing capacity with the completion of a forensic laboratory in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, which will ease pressure on the existing laboratory in the Western Cape,” he revealed.
While reporting on the latest crime statistics recently, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the SAPS successfully cleared the DNA testing backlog at its forensic service laboratories, and this has resulted in the solving of thousands of gender-based violence-related cases.
Gungubele said government continues to intensify its fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) through several interventions.
“These include extensive legal reform, the establishment of a GBVF Response Fund, and support for Thuthuzela and Khuseleka Care Centres, which provide vital services for GBV survivors.
“Furthermore, partnership that government has forged with civil society, business, development partners, the faith-based sector and other sectors to work together to deal with the scourge of GBVF, remain critical,” Gungubele stated.
