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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on the Minister of Health to take immediate steps to fill critical posts at the three Forensic Chemistry Laboratories (FCLs) responsible for analysing blood samples taken from suspected drunk drivers. The longer these positions remain unfilled, the greater the backlog of test results becomes, which has already resulted in cases being withdrawn from court, and suspected drunk drivers being let off the hook.

The response to a parliamentary question from the DA reveals that the extent of the backlog in respect of drunk driving is as follows:

Johannesburg 9 479
Pretoria 7 347
Cape Town 7 428

The FCLs are also responsible for toxicology reports and, with the exception of the Johannesburg FCL, the testing of food samples. The figures below indicate the backlogs with regards to toxicology and food samples:

Toxicology Food
Johannesburg 6 443 -
Pretoria 7 423 261
Cape Town 4 107 517

The DA has in the past called for an investigation into the collapse of the Forensic Science and Forensic Chemical Laboratories, which has been an ongoing problem since 1998, when responsibility for the FCLs was moved from the Police Department to the Health Department. It is very disturbing that, after 13 years, the uncertainty created by this function shift continues to adversely affect the delivery of this critical service.

In April last year my colleague, Dianne Kohler Barnard, Shadow Minister for Police, presented a 5-point plan to fix the Forensic Science and Chemistry Labs. This included eradicating vacancies in the labs by bolstering human resources management and staff retention policies. The other points of the plan included entering into private-public partnerships, building additional labs, creating expertise, ensuring that staff are properly trained and equipped, and that they are held responsible if they fail to follow correct procedure.

In light of the serious scourge of drunken driving we see on our roads, this backlog in blood analysis must be addressed immediately. It is time for the Minister of Health to take full responsibility for the functioning of the FCLs, considering the crucial role they play in the justice system. To this end I have called on the Minister to begin filling the vacant positions within the FCLs as a matter of urgency.