Cele announces DNA testing backlog cleared

JOHANNESBURG - Police Minister Bheki Cele says the South African police service has successfully cleared the DNA testing backlog at its forensic service laboratories.

Briefing the media on the latest crime stats, Cele says there’s been a 99-percent reduction in cases.

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He says this has resulted in the solving of thousands of gender-based violence-related cases

Cele said, “the SAPS have cleared its historic DNA backlog as of yesterday [Thursday]. The DNA backlog which was at over 241,000 is not at 1,600. This is 99.3-percent reduction. We’ve completed the building of a laboratory in EC…..  Police are using what is at their disposal to amid budget cuts and growing population to police a violent society.”