Thousands of DNA samples across the country are unable to be tested because of the massive backlogs in laboratories. To address this, the South African Police Service should work with the private sector, said Gillion Bosman, a member of the Western Cape provincial legislature, at a DA press briefing on Wednesday.
There are about 140,000 DNA samples that need to be tested in the Western Cape, of which 36,000 are for gender-based violence cases, said Bosman.
For the past few years, the DA has been lobbying for the South African Police Service (SAPS) to address the DNA backlog. Until the situation is resolved, survivors of gender-based violence are denied justice, said Bosman.