Limited resources at the SAPS forensic laboratory Services have come under the spotlight at the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria.

Head of the Ballistics Section at the Police Forensic Science Laboratory, Brigadier Mishak Mkhabela, has testified that staff shortages are crippling operations.

He says the laboratory pays over R3.8 million a month to maintain its ballistics system, but only half of its workstations can operate because of a shortage of analysts.

“Commissioners, we call it the savings level agreement. We pay a monthly fee of over R3.8 million per month for the maintenance of the system, commissioners. So you’re paying a monthly fee of R3.8 million a month, but you can really only use half the capacity of that system because you only can operate four of the eight input centres with your current staff, as it will be outlined later with the figures. Unfortunately, that is the reality, commissioners.”

Mkhabela also explained how the unit retrieves filed-off serial numbers on firearms: “We will take the firearm to the laboratory, apply the chemicals in order to try to retrieve the serial numbers which are filed off on the particular firearm. And upon completion, the procedure of the lab says that another independent analyst will come and verify the results and sign on the worksheet of the member, indicating the results that the analyst has found. It’s a measure that management has put into place so that we retain the credibility of the technique.”

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