A newly unveiled forensic laboratory in Mayville is expected to significantly reduce case backlogs and speed up investigations in the criminal justice system.
Authorities say the facility forms part of efforts to address growing delays in forensic processing, which have contributed to prolonged investigations and postponed court cases.
The launch has been welcomed by gender-based violence activists, who say the development is a long-awaited intervention in tackling systemic delays that often hinder justice for survivors.
Chairperson of the Rapid Response Team on Gender-Based Violence in eThekwini, Dr Nadia Bernon, said the forensic DNA backlog has been a major obstacle in prosecuting sexual offence cases.
“Cases are frequently postponed or struck off the roll, and this allows suspects to evade accountability, and in some cases, they re-offend,” she said.
Bernon added that delays in DNA processing have a devastating impact on survivors of rape and gender-based violence, many of whom wait years for case updates.
“This also causes an effect on survivors… they face years of waiting for feedback while going through prolonged trauma,” she said, adding that this erodes public trust in law enforcement and the justice system.
She further emphasised the importance of ensuring that the new facility is staffed with skilled and experienced personnel to maximise efficiency and reduce delays.
“For me, it’s all about hiring the right people so the backlog is reduced and we see more convictions and arrests happening more quickly,” Bernon said.
The South African Police Service has confirmed that the new lab will play a key role in expediting forensic analysis and improving case turnaround times.
Authorities report that the current forensic backlog stands at more than 13,000 cases older than 90 days. This includes 3,742 outstanding ballistics cases, 1,963 biology cases, and 7,993 chemistry-related matters.
Officials say the new facility is expected to help ease pressure on existing systems and improve efficiency across criminal investigations in KwaZulu-Natal.