SAPS
Brigadier Mkhabela, head of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Ballistics Section has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that errors identified in ballistic reports were the result of human or technical factors not sabotage or deliberate interference.
Responding to questions about the incorrect cross-referencing of evidence compiled by Warrant Officer Itumeleng Mokgathle, Mkhabela said the mistake likely stemmed from a mix-up in paragraph numbering rather than an intentional act.
The ballistic report was part of the investigation into the murder of Veerniging engineer Amard Swart and the errors and discrepancies were flagged by investigators on the case.
Mkhabela said the evidence itself contradicted any notion of interference.
“If he did that with a mind to sabotage, his brains need to be examined, because the evidence suggests otherwise,” he said.
He argued that the findings made by the examiner actually strengthened the prosecution case by linking the suspects’ firearms to bullets and cartridge cases found at the murder scene.
Mkhabela said while some of the errors including incorrect dates reflected poor proofreading, the reviewer had already flagged the inconsistencies before the report was finalised.
He also explained that firearm and ammunition analysis at the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) follows strict verification procedures designed to safeguard the integrity of results. Each analyst’s findings, he said, are independently checked by another analyst before finalisation.
He said that while the process is thorough, there is no guarantee that all firearm serial numbers can be restored or that every analysis will yield identical results.
“There’s no guarantee that you’ll always be able to retrieve the serial number,” he told the commission. He also added that in some cases the depth of erasure or the condition of materials can affect outcomes.
He gave examples of possible causes for inconsistencies, including the use of expired chemicals or differences in firearm material. “Some criminals use grinders to erase serial numbers. Depending on how deep the number was removed, it might not be recoverable,” he said.
Addressing the fact that the Pretoria one laboratory failed to retrieve a firearm’s serial number that the KZN experts later recovered, Mkhabela said he only became aware of the discrepancy during the commission’s proceedings.
“If a client or investigating officer is unhappy with the results, we have a system in place to investigate the complaint. The process allows management to determine whether the issue was with the system, materials, or procedure used.”
Mkhabela rejected suggestions that such discrepancies pointed to sabotage within the forensic division, insisting that all laboratory findings undergo routine verification to preserve credibility. “We have measures in place to ensure the integrity of our techniques,” he said
