New testing kit could help catch rapists

An innovative DNA testing kit that could help bust rapists was unveiled by the University of the Western Cape on Thursday.

The kit targets DNA that is carried only by men – the Y chromosome – and is one of the first of its kind to factor in Africa’s genetic diversity.

Laboratory head Professor Maria D’Amato said: “The kit detects fragments in the Y chromosome‚ which is specific to males. They are very accurate for individual identification.”

D’Amato and her team captured DNA samples from anonymous male SA donors to create a database that represents the genetic diversity in the region.