Because of the staggering backlog of ballistic testing staff, it took police over a year to link five guns to nearly 30 serious crimes, including more than 20 murders, two attempted murders and four cash-in-transit robberies.
The murders include that of DJ Sumbody and his two bodyguards Vaal engineer Armand Swart DJ Vintos and the attempted murder of tenderpreneur Vusimuzi Cat Matlalas ex-lover, actress Tebogo Thobejane.
The national head of police ballistics, Brig Mishak Mkhabela, told the Madlanga commission on Monday that the serious backlog of ballistic testing often results in court proceedings being postponed as investigators struggle to keep up with the number of firearms seized.