Police Portfolio Committee Report on UK/Canada Study Tour on DNA Evidence
Police
06 September 2011
Chairperson: Ms L Chikunga (ANC)
Meeting Summary
The Committee considered the UK/Canada Study Tour Report on DNA evidence which reflected the experiences and concerns of using DNA evidence in the
Meeting report
Committee Report on UK/Canada Study Tour on DNA Evidence
The Committee considered its Report and made corrections where necessary but did not adopt the Report.
Ms Kohler-Barnard (DA) asked for a clearer definition of 'child loadable hashes', regarding child pornography in the report, saying it was such a technical term that laypersons could possibly not comprehend it.
Ms A van Wyk (ANC) suggested replacing 'child loadable hashes' with the word 'images'
Ms Kohler-Barnard said if the Committee was itself unclear perhaps it required further refinement in the report.
Ms L Chikunga (ANC) said DNA was an expensive science especially for a country with limited means such as
Ms Kohler-Barnard said in the
Ms van Wyk said the noteworthy successes of the DNA familial searches division in the
Ms Kohler-Barnard said the designated familial searches team had attained major successes by using this method.
Ms Chikunga said the
Ms Kohler-Barnard said there were concerns that black people were disproportionately affected by the use of DNA profiling, but perhaps more research into the facts of this matter was required before such assertions could be made.
Ms van Wyk said groups that were more prevalent on the DNA database would have a higher conviction rate. But this was a complex matter that, if entertained, Ms Chikunga would have to call her and Ms Kohler-Barnard to order very soon. The fact was, this was reported to the Committee and should be reflected in the report.
Ms Chikunga said this report reflected issues pertaining to the use of DNA in the
Ms Kohler-Barnard asked why a DNA profile was said to raise questions of privacy and other human rights concerns when fingerprints did not. The information that could be gathered from the DNA profile was not comprehensive enough to be considered an invasion of privacy.
Ms van Wyk said the report simply referred to constitutional issues that may be relevant based on the
Ms Chikunga said the DNA sample could also result in familial profiling; thereby affecting a person’s whole family and this should perhaps be balanced with the right of control over one’s body.
Ms Kohler-Barnard said everyone was very impressed that the
Ms van Wyk said the report stated that
Ms Kohler-Barnard said legislation had been considered for a very long time in the
Ms Chikunga said that the amended report would be circulated by the following week for possible adoption.
Committee Minutes
Ms Chikunga noted only five members were present and two more were required for a quorum.
Ms van Wyk suggested the Committee review all the outstanding minutes and simply adopt all the minutes when a quorum was achieved. She added that the Committee should decide on the format of minutes: whether they should simply refer to key issues or should be in depth.
Ms Chikunga said the Committee should stick to the brief version of the minutes.
Afternoon session
The Committee considered and adopted the following minutes: 16 August, 14 June, 19 April, 31 March, 30 March, 29 March, 22 March, 15 March, 3 March, 22 February, 15 February 2011.
Ms van Wyk said in future the minutes of meetings should be adopted the very next day as the Committee was adopting minutes as far back as February 2011, based solely on the collective memories of members present at a meeting in September 2011.
Mr V Ndlovu (IFP) seconded the proposal and said this should not be a time constraint, as minutes of meetings should be brief and not exhaustive.
Ms Chikunga said the SAPS was required to forward a report to the Committee every six months on domestic violence but only two of these reports had been found.
Ms Kohler-Barnard asked if there was a record indicating whether departments complied with the deadlines or requests for information made by the Committee.
Ms Chikunga said she would look into this suggestion.
Ms Chikunga said the SAPS received a R3.6 billion budget allocation for Information Technology alone for 2011/12. The total SAPS budget was R58 billion compared to the Department of Environment and Tourism budget of R1 billion but one should “just go to the nearest police office…….. “
Ms Chikunga thanked the Committee for its hard work; deliberating the entire day to complete the outstanding administrative tasks. Most of the outstanding minutes of meetings were adopted but the minutes of two meetings in April required more substantive amendments before adoption, and would be addressed later.
Ms Chikunga said unfortunately time did not allow the Committee to address the Gauteng Oversight Report but the Committee could adopt it at a later stage. She asked members who wished to attend the release of crime statistics in
Meeting adjourned.
Audio
Documents
No related documents
Present
- We don't have attendance info for this committee meeting
Download as PDF
You can download this page as a PDF using your browser's print functionality. Click on the "Print" button below and select the "PDF" option under destinations/printers.
See detailed instructions for your browser here.