It’s your Right / Yilungelo Lakho is a Consumer Affairs TV show on SABC 1, transmitting every Friday from 13H00 to 14H00 where issues affecting South African consumers are discussed.

On the 26 November 2010 they will be doing a show around the DNA bill, the DNA Database and the rights of victims and criminals amongst other issues. They have invited Vanessa Lynch from the DNA project to participate in a studio discussion on these issues and more.

With the festive season fast approaching crimes ranging from child rape, murder, cash in transit heists, house braking, hijacking and rape in general are likely to be on the rise. Promises  of visible police work and adding more workforce by the ministry have been heard, but do we have police trained to collect DNA samples at crime scenes? South African Forensic laboratories play a critical role in the prosecution and conviction of criminals. But reports say since 2007 these labs experience a 300% backlog bringing a parallel increase in the number of criminal cases that could not be successfully prosecuted. Leading to a notion that our forensic laboratories are now, in fact, in a state of crisis. Besides backlogs problems ranging from high vacancy rates, largely unsuccessful staff retention policies, Police efficiency lack of trained staff and expensive training on how to take DNA samples at crime scene, housing and maintenance problems have been reported.

The discussion will focus on the above issues as well as the DNA forensic bill, what it entails and how it will assist in combating crime. Moreover, the question will be asked as to why it hasn’t been passed and when will it happen, and the issue of human rights for both victims and criminals. The issue of private labs will also be raised.

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Police as well as a representative from the FSL and SAPS have been invited to participate in the discussion.

The show is scheduled for 26 November 2010 @ 1pm on SABC 1.

The Change a Life Trust held their annual Feedback Session at the JSE (JHB) on Tuesday 2 November 2010. This is an opportunity for its beneficiaries to showcase their good work done over the last year, and The DNA Project, as one of its major beneficiaries was asked to give a presentation on our achievements over the 2009/2010 FY. Unfortunately I was suddenly struck down with the most terrible flu (which hasn’t happened to me in over 10 years!), so I was sadly unable to attend. But the DNA Project is comprised of a team of amazing people, so Carolyn took over the reins and reports back below on the day’s events….

The 2nd of November was a busy day for us. After flying up to Johannesburg, I met with Allan Thompson, another director of the DNA Project. We both then attended a wonderful lunch at the Computershare offices with the other beneficiaries of the Mike Thompson/Computershare Change a Life Trust. The occasion provided us all with an opportunity to catch up on what we had been doing throughout the year and the progress which each of the projects has made in the fight against crime in South Africa. We also chatted about the way forward in 2011.

Allan and I then met up with Rob Mathews for a DNA Project Board meeting (unfortunately Vanessa was not present as she is in bed with the flu!) During the meeting I was able to give Allan and Rob some further insight into our progress to date, with particular reference to the legislation, the post graduate degree and the DNA Awareness Campaign. During our meeting we also spent time on planning what the DNA Project should focus on in the next few months.

Debby Thomson (left) and Carolyn Hancock (right) at the event

Then it was a quick rush home to change and then back to the JSE for the Computershare Change a Life Feedback event after the cyclists recent exciting (but exhausting) trip to Malawi. The JSE was completely transformed into a wonderfully festive venue end everyone enjoyed a few snacks and cocktails before we went into the conference room where all the beneficiaries of the Change a Life Trust gave feedback on their achievements during the last 12 months.

With Vanessa being unwell, I gave the presentation on behalf of the DNA Project – quite a daunting task as we feel we have accomplished an enormous amount – but only had 6 minutes to tell the cyclists everything!! I was delighted to be able to comment on the fact that the post graduate degree is now up and running at the University of Free State and we are expecting our first graduates at the end of this year. In addition, that UCT will also be taking on a few forensic genetics honours students in 2011. I provided the participants with some idea of where we currently stand in terms of the legislation and how crucial it is that the parliamentary committee deal with the DNA Bill as a matter of urgency.The last few minutes of the presentation I spent concentrating on describing our DNA Awareness Campaign – how we have developed and filmed the training DVD, compiled the information booklet and trained people around the country to conduct  DNA awareness workshops with various members of the community. To date we have contacted 552 organisations with regard to running awareness workshops and have already given presentations or workshops to over 1200 people (mostly since the beginning of August).

Carolyn presenting to the cyclists

Our message to anyone who may be the first at a crime scene remains:
D – Don’t touch
N – Note Record and Observe
A – Assist police officers 

C – Comfort victims
S – Secure the scene
I – Insist no one interferes

Once the presentations were over the cyclists were introduced to what they could expect of next years event – a fantastic trip through Namibia – from East to West. When we returned to the foyer of the JSE, and in line with the theme of “going west,” the JSE was transformed into the “Wild West”. It was a really fun evening but also a time to remind the sponsors and cyclist’s of where their hard earned money has gone – to what we believe are some very worthy causes. We thank them all for their continued support of the DNA Project!!

Carolyn

I have just read through the latest amendment of the Criminal Procedure Act which deals with arrest and the ‘‘Use of force in effecting arrest”. Click here to read it – it is only a few pages long.

Parliament  have just gazetted the amendment which allows  ‘deadly force’ in arrest — defined as  “force that is likely to cause serious bodily harm, or death and includes, but is not limited to, shooting at a suspect with a firearm.”
This was introduced and passed within the last year — seemingly with no constitutional issue whatsoever.

Yet putting a swab in an arrestees mouth to take a DNA sample is considered an AWESOME abuse of police power (but at least if you make a mistake, the suspect is still alive to take a 2nd sample!) Or better yet, the sequence of 9 non-coded, meaningless numbers entered onto a DNA Database to build criminal intelligence against serial rapists and murderers, is conceived to be an invasion of privacy:  But  – the use of force that is likely to cause death… – pass.

Are we to presume that our MP’s are oxymorons?  Because here we sit waiting for over two years for the DNA legislation to be passed which has much more far-reaching consequences in fighting crime intelligently and yet the above amendment sweeps through Parliament without so much as a constitutional peep from Parliament or its Portfolio Committee Members within a year.

The upside, is that perhaps we can use this promulgation to strengthen our argument that in the context of this recent Amendment, the DNA Bill we are fighting surely cannot be labelled as unconstitutional.

Vanessa