Forensic evidence such as DNA has become a crucial tool in criminal investigation, particularly in rape cases. The analysis of DNA evidence can provide important information that can help identify a suspect, link a suspect to a crime scene or victim, and exonerate innocent individuals who may have been wrongly accused. Therefore, the aim of this study was to critically analyse (DNA) evidence during rape investigations in the selected Local Municipalities of Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Moreover, the objectives of this study were four-fold, designed as follows: 1) To assess the use of DNA evidence during rape investigations in the selected Local Municipalities of Northern Cape Province, South Africa; 2) To detail selected sources of DNA evidence during rape investigations in the selected Local Municipalities of Northern Cape Province, South Africa; 3) To maintain chain of custody for rape DNA evidence in the selected Local Municipalities of Northern Cape Province, South Africa; 4) To develop a conceptual model for preserving DNA evidence during rape investigations in the selected Local Municipalities of Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
The qualitative research approach was adopted. It was supported by phenomenological research design. Five police stations formed part of this study, namely: Kimberley Police Station, Jan Kempdorp Police Station, Galeshewe Police Station, Roodepan Police Station and Pampierstad Police Station, under the Sol Plaatje and Phokwane Local Municipalities respectively. This study used the non-probability: Purposive sampling to select the following subjects from its population: Twenty-Five Northern Cape SAPS investigators (Sample ‘A’), five participants, including three South African Police Service Forensic Specialists (SAPS FS) from the Forensic Science Laboratory [SAPS FSL], situated in Arcadia (Sample ‘B’) and two DNA specialists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), based in Pretoria, and 25 community members from the Northern Cape Province (Sample ‘C’). For data collection, unstructured Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were employed for ‘sample ‘A’ and ‘B’ and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), involving 25 community members, were used for sample ‘C’. Furthermore, simple observation schedule was also inducted to observe reactions of sample ‘A’ and ‘C’ through employment of non-participative observation schedule, as some significant information stemmed from outside the parameters of the conducted KIIs and FGDs, together with the documentary studies. The inductive Textual Content Analysis (TCA) was adopted to analyse the collected data. This study established that the shared sentiment by the DNA analysts, SAPS FSL and SAPS LCRC were common on the significance of DNA analysis during rape investigations, while some community members were not familiar with this
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technology. Therefore, selected study participants shared clarity on the fact that the DNA have countless successes and it is continuing to play a significant role during crime investigations in general, not only rape cases, but this forensic tool also helps the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in other contact crimes like murder, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), robbery and theft, amongst others. Subsequently, the impact of DNA analysis in the investigation and justice space has been, still is and will continue being inordinate. The biggest challenge right now is the serious backlog caused by infrastructure and shortage of personnel; however, the government is currently addressing this and there has been progress though it is at a snail’s pace. The study also found that DNA evidence alone cannot determine whether a sexual act was consensual or not. Instead, it can only provide information about the presence or absence of bodily fluids and its origins. It is recommended that training of all officials handling samples or evidence (continuity of possession) be maintained. For this reason, it is important to collect, preserve and analyse DNA according to strict protocols and procedures. Importantly, the conceptual model for preserving DNA evidence during rape investigations in the selected Local Municipalities of Northern Cape Province, South Africa, consisting of Five (05) components is presented as a contribution to the new body of knowledge.
Ubungqina bophando lwasenkundleni obufana ne-Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) buya busiba sisixhobo esibalulekileyo kuphando lolwaphulomthetho, ngakumbi kumatyala odlwengulo. Uhlalutyo lobungqina be-DNA lunokubonelela ngolwazi olubalulekileyo olunokunceda ukwazi umrhanelwa, ukurhintyela umrhanelwa kwindawo yolwaphulomthetho okanye kwixhoba, kunye nokukhulula abantu abamsulwa abasenokuba batyholwa ngokungafanelekanga. Olu phando belunenjongo yokuhlalutya ngokuhlaba amadlala obungqina (DNA) ngethuba kuphandwa ngodlwengulo kwiPhondo loMntla Koloni. Olu phando belujolise ekuhloleni oku kulandelayo: ukuhlola ukusetyenziswa kobungqina be-DNA ngexesha lophando lodlwengulo kwiPhondo loMntla Koloni; ukuchaza iinkcukacha zemithombo ekhethiweyo yobungqina be-DNA ngexesha lophando lodlwengulo; ukuqokelelwa nokugcinwa kobungqina be-DNA kudlwengulo; ukuphuhlisa imodeli yengqiqo yokugcina ubungqina be-DNA ngexesha lophando lodlwengulo. Kusetyenziswe indlela yophando, lixhaswa luyilo lophando lokuqonda iziganeko. Izikhululo zamapolisa ezintlanu zibeyinxalenye yolu phando. Kubandakanywe ngenjongo abaphandi abangamashumi amabini anesihlanu beNkonzo yamaPolisa yoMzantsi Afrika yaseMntla Koloni (Northern Cape South African Police Service (SAPS)) (Isivandlakanyi A), abathathinxaxheba abahlanu, kuquka iingcali ezintathu zophando lwasenkundleni ze-SAPS ezivela kwi-SAPS FSL, ese-Arcadia (Isivandlakanyi B) kunye neengcali ezimbini ze-DNA ezivela kwiBhunga loPhando lwezeNzululwazi kunye nezoShishino (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)), elisePitoli, kunye namalungu oluntu angamashumi amabini anesihlanu avela kwiPhondo loMntla Koloni (Isivandlakanyi C).
Idatha iqokelelwe ngodliwanondlebe olungacwangciswanga lwabathathinxaxheba abaphambili (KIIs) kwiSivandlakanyi A no-B kunye neengxoxo zeqela ekugxilwe kulo (FGDs), ezibandakanya amalungu oluntu angamashumi amabini anesihlanu, kwiSivandlakanyi C. Ngaphezu koko, kukwasetyenziswe ifomu yokuhlalutya okanye iphepha lokuhlela (simple observation schedule) ukuqwalasela iimpendulo zeSivandlakanyi A – C ngokusebenzisa ifomu yokuhlalutya ube ungathathi inxaxheba kuphando (non-participative observation schedule), nanjengoko olunye ulwazi olubalulekileyo luye lwavela ngaphandle kwemiyalelo enikezelwe zii-KII nee-FGD, kunye nophando olubhaliweyo okanye olushicilelweyo. Idatha eqokelelweyo ihlalutywe ngendlela esetyenziswa kuphandontyilazwi yohlalutyo lokubhalwe phantsi eyaziwa ngokuba yi-inductive Textual Content Analysis (TCA). Olu phando lufumanise ukuba abahlalutyi be-DNA, i-SAPS FSL kunye ne-SAPS LCRC baye banezimvo ezifanayo ngokubaluleka kohlalutyo lwe-DNA ngexesha lophando lodlwengulo, ngelixa amanye amalungu oluntu engayiqhelanga le teknoloji. Ngoko ke, abathathinxaxheba abakhethiweyo bophando baye banikeza ingcaciso ethe vetshe ngokuveza ukuba i-DNA ibe nempumelelo amatyeli amaninzi kwaye iqhubeka idlala indima ebalulekileyo hayi kwixesha lophando lwamatyala odlwengulo kuphela, kodwa ikwanceda inkqubo yobulungisa kwezinye izenzo zolwaphulomthetho ezifana nokubulala, ubundlobongela obuphathelele kwisini (GBV), uphango kunye nobusela, phakathi kwezinye. Ngaphezu koko, impembelelo yohlalutyo lwe-DNA kwindawo yophando nobulungisa iye yabamaxongo, kwaye iqhubeka isibamaxongo. Owona mngeni mkhulu ngoku kukwanda komsebenzi omninzi osafuneka wenziwe obangelwa zizibonelelo kunye nokunqongophala kwabasebenzi.
Lo ngumngeni urhulumente asaqubulisana nawo kwaye kuye kwakho inkqubelaphambili nangona ikho ngonyaw’ lonwabu. Ngaphezu koko, uphando lufumanise ukuba ubungqina be-DNA bodwa abukwazi ukufumanisa ukuba kwabelwane ngesondo ngokuvumelana okanye akunjalo. Endaweni yoko, i-DNA ikwazi ukunikeza kuphela ulwazi malunga nokubakho okanye ukungabikho kwencindi yomzimba kunye nokuba isuka phi. Kucetyiswa ukuba kuqhutyekekwe kuqeqeshwa onke amagosa asebenza ngeesampuli okanye ubungqina (ukuze kuqhutyekwe kugcinwe ezi sampuli okanye ubungqina). Ngenxa yesi sizathu, kubalulekile ukuqokelela, ukugcina nokuhlalutya i-DNA ngokwezicwangcisonkqubo neenkqubo ezingqingqwa.
Ubufakazi bokuhlola obufana nolibofuzo (iDNA) sebuyithuluzi elibalulekile ekuphenyweni kwamacala obugebengu, ikakhulukazi ezimweni zokudlwengula. Ukuhlaziywa kobufakazi bolibofuzo kunganikeza imininingwane ebalulekile engasiza ekutholeni umsolwa, ixhumanise umsolwa nesigameko sobugebengu noma isisulu, futhi ikhulule abantu abangenacala okungenzeka ukuthi bamangalelwe ngokungafanele. Lolu cwaningo luzame ukuhlaziya kabanzi ubufakazi (beDNA) ngesikhathi socwaningo lokudlwengula eSifundazweni SaseNyakatho Kapa. Ucwaningo luhlose ukuhlola okulandelayo: ukuhlola ukusetshenziswa kobufakazi beDNA ngesikhathi sokuphenya ngokudlwengula eSifundazweni SaseNyakatho Kapa; ukuningiliza ngemithombo ekhethiwe yobufakazi beDNA ngesikhathi sokuphenya ngokudlwengula; ukugcina uchungechunge lokulondolozwa kobufakazi beDNA bokudlwengula; ukusungula imodeli yalokho okucatshangiwe yokulondoloza ubufakazi beDNA ngesikhathi sokuphenya amacala okudlwengula. Kulandelwe indlela yocwaningo yekhwalithethivu, isekelwa umklamo wocwaningo wesayensi yezenzakalo. Iziteshi zamaphoyisa ezinhlanu zaba yingxenye yalolu cwaningo.
Abaphenyi boPhiko Lwamaphoyisa LwaseNingizimu Afrika (beSAPS) eNyakatho abangamashumi amabili nanhlanu (Isampula ‘A’), ababambiqhaza abahlanu, okuhlanganisa ochwepheshe abathathu beSAPS abavela eSAPS FSL, abase-Arcadia (Isampula ‘B’) kanye nochwepheshe ababili beDNA abavela eMkhandlwini Wokucwaninga Ngezesayensi Nezimboni (i-CSIR), abazinze ePitoli, namalungu omphakathi angamashumi amabili nesihlanu abavela eSifundazweni SaseNyakatho Kapa (Isampula ‘C’) bakhethwa ngenhloso. Ukuze kuqoqwe imininingo, izingxoxo zabahlinzeki bemininingwane abangakahleleki (ama-KII) zasetshenziselwa ‘isampula ‘A’ no-‘B’ kanye nezingxoxo zamaqoqo agxile esihlokweni esithile (amaFGD), afaka kuwo amalungu omphakathi angamashumi amabili nesihlanu, isampula ‘C’. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwaphinde kwasetshenziswa isheduli elula yokubuka ukuze kubhekwe ukusabela kwesampula ‘A‘ no-’C’ ngokusetshenziswa kwesheduli yokubuka engasiyo ingxenye yalokhu, njengoba eminye imininingwane ebalulekile ivela ngaphandle kwemingcele yamaKIIs namaFGD aqhutshwayo, kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo. Ukuhlaziywa kokuqukethwe imibhalo encike emfundisweni (iTCA) kwamukelwe ukuze kuhlaziywe imininingo eqoqiwe.
Lolu cwaningo lwaveza ukuthi umuzwa ofanayo wabahlaziyi beDNA, iSAPS FSL neSAPS LCRC wawuvamile maqondana nokubaluleka kokuhlaziywa kweDNA ophenyweni lokudlwengula, ngenkathi amanye amalungu omphakathi engabujwayele lobu buchwepheshe.
Ngakho-ke, ababambiqhaza bocwaningo abakhethiwe bacacisa kabanzi ngalokhu ngokuveza ukuthi iDNA isiphumelele kaningi futhi iyaqhubeka nokudlala indima ebalulekile ophenyweni lwamacala okudlwengula, hayi lokho kuphela, kodwa futhi isiza uhlelo lobulungiswa kwamanye amacala anokuxhumana njengelokubulala, udlame olubhekiswe kwabobulili obuthile (iGBV), ukuphanga nokuntshontsha, kokunye okuningi okukhona. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umthelela wokuhlaziywa kweDNA kwezokuphenya nobulungiswa ubulokhu ukhona, usazolokhu uba khona futhi usazoqhubeka ngokweqile.
Inselelo enkulu kunazo zonke njengamanje ukusilela emuva okubangelwa ingqalasizinda nokushoda kwabasebenzi; lokhu kuyinselelo uhulumeni asazama ukuyilungisa kanti sekube nenqubekelaphambili nakuba kuhamba kancane kakhulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucwaningo lwaveza ukuthi ubufakazi beDNA bubodwa abukwazi ukunquma ukuthi abenzi bocansi bebevumelene yini noma cha. Kunalokho, ingahlinzeka kuphela imininingwane mayelana nokuba khona noma ukungabi khona koketshezi lomzimba nemvelaphi yalo. Kunconywa ukuba kuqhubeke ngendlela ukuqeqeshwa kwabo bonke abasebenza ngamasampula noma ngobufakazi (ukuqhubeka nokugcinwa kahle). Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, kubalulekile ukuqoqa, ukulondoloza nokuhlaziya iDNA ngokuvumelana nemigomo nezinqubo eziqinile.
