KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli says the new SAPS forensic laboratory marks a turning point in the province’s fight against crime, as authorities shift towards evidence-led policing.
The new facility was handed over by public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson to deputy police minister Cassel Mathale and provincial police leadership in Mayville, Durban, on Friday.
Ntuli said the lab represents a move away from reactive policing and towards a system guided by science, precision and data.
“This is not merely a ceremonial handover. It is a statement of intent. It is a declaration that the future of policing in our province will be guided not only by policy, but by science, by precision and by truth,” he said. “The nature of crime is evolving and so too must the tools we use to combat it.”
The opening of the new lab comes after the building that previously housed the province’s forensic lab in Amanzimtoti was damaged extensively during flooding on six occasions since 2016, leading to its closure.
This forced the province to rely on the lab in Pretoria, delaying results by up to six months and resulting in the current backlog of 13,861 cases.
Concerns over delays in evidence processing, which weaken cases and undermined public confidence in the justice system, led to investment in the new facility.
“For far too long, delays in forensic processing have eroded trust. Today we say: no more,” Ntuli said.
The forensic science lab will house three forensic units including biology and chemistry and feature 92 parking bays. This will see the province spend R1.6m a month for rental.
Ntuli described forensic science as critical to modern crime detection and strengthening the entire criminal justice chain from investigation to prosecution.
“It transforms suspicion into certainty. It allows evidence to speak where fear has silenced witnesses. It brings clarity where there is confusion, and restores confidence in a system that must, above all, be trusted.”
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the facility is crucial for reducing turnaround time, handling and processing of evidence, as well as for their overall push to deliver a professional police service.
“This will ensure that we have an effective crime investigation. It will include the forensic analysis of the evidence, especially the DNA, firearm and drugs-related evidence that we need to get analysed here,” he said.
Police will use the facility until 2030 while the department of public works builds a multibillion-rand permanent lab in Pinetown.
Macpherson said the department’s role was to support law enforcement through infrastructure that enables effective policing and justice delivery.
“We may not wear the same uniform as police officers, but we can deliver the infrastructure that strengthens their hand ... And while we do not conduct forensic analysis ourselves, we can ensure that those who do have secure, purpose-built facilities to do their work effectively.”
He added that the project forms part of a push to use infrastructure to support strategic national priorities, including restoring the rule of law.
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