DNA Bill underway

The DNA Bill deals with biometric evidence and aims to expand and upgrade the existing DNA database within the SAPS.

The DNA Bill is still in process, says the Police minister, Nathi Mthethwa.

Speaking at the opening of the Forensic Science Laboratory in Cape Town, Mthethwa noted government was busy drawing up the Bill.  

“As government, we have also begun to review and place before Parliament the Criminal Procedure (Forensic Amendment) Bill. This Bill is being processed in two phases, the first phase being the fingerprinting part, which has already been passed into law in September 2011 while the second aspect relates to the DNA Bill, which is still in process,” Mthethwa said.

The Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Bill B2-2009 was drafted and adopted by Cabinet in December 2008. Known as the DNA Bill, it deals with biometric evidence and aims to expand and upgrade the existing DNA database within the SAPS.

Originally, detail on the setting up of a DNA database was contained in this bill but  Parliament’s Portfolio committee on police decided in July 2010 that the idea of a DNA database should be dealt with in a second bill.

 In June 2012 the SAPS civilian secretariat presented the policy document on DNA to the police committee. The policy document has been drawn up together with the South African Police Services forensic science services.

According to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group, the bill is likely to be placed before the committee before the end of this year.