Bongi Gwala spoke to Gauteng health spokesperson Madeleine Hicklin about South Africa’s crippling forensic backlog, with nearly 140 000 DNA and toxicology cases stuck in mortuaries and labs. The crisis is delaying justice, stalling prosecutions, and leaving grieving families without closure. Hicklin unpacked the scale of the problem, its impact on victims and communities, and what urgent steps are needed to restore trust in the justice and health systems.

Bongi Gwala spoke to Gauteng health spokesperson Madeleine Hicklin about South Africa&rsquo;s crippling forensic backlog, with nearly 140 000 DNA and toxicology cases stuck in mortuaries and labs. The crisis is delaying justice, stalling prosecutions, and leaving grieving families without closure. Hicklin unpacked the scale of the problem, its impact on victims and communities, and what urgent steps are needed to restore trust in the justice and health systems.

POWER Perspective is a talkback show hosted by Tessa Dooms. It typically features no-holds-barred discussions ranging from politics and socioeconomic matters to religion and lifestyle topics. POWER Perspective brings you hard-hitting interviews and debates featuring all the big names in politics. This show has a dedicated fanbase of “Perspectivians” and is a must-listen to, to understand what is happening politically in today's South Africa.

POWER Perspective is a talkback show hosted by Tessa Dooms. It typically features no-holds-barred discussions ranging from politics and socioeconomic matters to religion and lifestyle topics. POWER Perspective brings you hard-hitting interviews and debates featuring all the big names in politics. This show has a dedicated fanbase of &ldquo;Perspectivians&rdquo; and is a must-listen to, to understand what is happening politically in today's South Africa.

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140 000 forensic cases trapped in SA&#39;s laboratory backlog

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is under intense scrutiny after it emerged that the scheme owes more than 600 student accommodation providers a combined R48 million for the 2024 academic year. The mounting debt has raised fresh concerns about governance failures, cash-flow challenges and operational instability within NSFAS, prompting questions about accountability and the impact on students and service providers.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is under intense scrutiny after it emerged that the scheme owes more than 600 student accommodation providers a combined R48 million for the 2024 academic year. The mounting debt has raised fresh concerns about governance failures, cash-flow challenges and operational instability within NSFAS, prompting questions about accountability and the impact on students and service providers.

The State of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)

The death of DJ Warras has been linked to a hijacked building he allegedly owned alongside Zwelibanzi Mazibuko. Reports suggest the property, believed to have been illegally occupied, may be central to the circumstances surrounding his killing. Authorities are investigating possible connections between the hijacked building, criminal networks operating within it, and the motive behind the DJ’s death, as questions grow around safety, property hijackings, and organised crime.

 

The death of DJ Warras has been linked to a hijacked building he allegedly owned alongside Zwelibanzi Mazibuko. Reports suggest the property, believed to have been illegally occupied, may be central to the circumstances surrounding his killing. Authorities are investigating possible connections between the hijacked building, criminal networks operating within it, and the motive behind the DJ&rsquo;s death, as questions grow around safety, property hijackings, and organised crime.
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DJ Warras’ death linked to the hijacked building he allegedly owned

Families of the three miners trapped underground since the 2016 Lily Mine collapse say six years on, justice remains elusive. The prolonged wait for accountability has sparked renewed anger and pain, as no one has been held criminally responsible. ActionSA has now stepped in, saying it is considering court action against the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) over what it describes as years of inaction. According to the Lily Mine Three families’ spokesperson, Harry Mazibuko, the failure to prosecute has denied families closure and undermined trust in the justice system.

Families of the three miners trapped underground since the 2016 Lily Mine collapse say six years on, justice remains elusive. The prolonged wait for accountability has sparked renewed anger and pain, as no one has been held criminally responsible. ActionSA has now stepped in, saying it is considering court action against the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) over what it describes as years of inaction. According to the Lily Mine Three families&rsquo; spokesperson, Harry Mazibuko, the failure to prosecute has denied families closure and undermined trust in the justice system.

140 000 forensic cases trapped in SA's laboratory backlog

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140 000 forensic cases trapped in SA&#39;s laboratory backlog

In 2 playlist(s)

POWER Perspective

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Follow podcast

Recent clips

140 000 forensic cases trapped in SA's laboratory backlog