Action Society has warned of an escalating cold case crisis in South Africa, expressing concern that stalled investigations, forensic delays, and inadequate communication are depriving victims’ families of answers. The organisation asserts that serious cases, including murders and child abuse, are losing momentum, thereby revealing systemic weaknesses within the criminal justice system.
National spokesperson Juanita du Preez highlighted the challenges facing forensic services, stating, “I know there were plans for upgrading the one in KwaZulu-Natal, but there were also some problems with the completion, with the whole process, and so on. And it’s not just the buildings that’s the problem. It is also the consumables and the expertise in the forensic labs. A police officer told me that there are only five experts working for the national forensic labs who can perform toxicology reports or blood work. So, yeah, it’s not just the buildings. It is everything going along with that.”
She also raised concerns about the lack of trained forensic photographers, noting, “If you see the photos that the police officers take at the scenes and give them, they are not trained photographers. Sometimes it’s not even usable in court. And you need that for scene reconstruction to investigate what exactly happened. So, it’s just failing on all sides.”
Du Preez suggested that the government explore alternative solutions, such as public-private partnerships. “The one thing that we always suggest is public-private partnerships, because that also sorts out, in some way, the budget problem. Then you receive investment from the private sector, as well as expertise and capacity, in collaboration with the public sector. Action Society cannot see how we can continue to fix a problem by doing the same thing; it’s not working. We have to look at new ways to solve it.”
The organisation stated that urgent reforms and investments are needed to restore public trust, improve accountability, and ensure that victims and their families finally receive justice.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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