Western Cape forensic lab becomes first in SA to receive international accreditation

The Western Cape Government’s Forensic Toxicology Unit achieves international accreditation.

The Western Cape Government’s Forensic Toxicology Unit has become the first provincial public forensic toxicology laboratory in South Africa to achieve international accreditation for drug testing methods.

This marks a major milestone for forensic science in the country.

Following a successful assessment by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), the unit was formally granted ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation as a forensic laboratory.

According to the MEC for Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, the accreditation covers two critical areas of testing: the detection of carbon monoxide poisoning and the identification and measurement of drugs in forensic specimens.