The Democratic Alliance (DA) can reveal that 76% of police stations in South Africa do not have adult rape kits in stock. A further, 69% of stations do not have child rape kits in stock.
Without these kits, evidence in reported rape cases cannot be collected, and, without evidence, the ability to successfully prosecute rapists diminishes drastically. It is wholly unacceptable and a damning indictment on the South African Police Service (SAPS) that only a handful of police stations are equipped to successfully gather evidence from victims of rape.
The shortage of rape kits is a crisis of national importance, which needs to be resolved as a matter of great urgency.
These shocking statistics were revealed by the National Police Commissioner after a request for information submitted by the DA.
The DA will now write to Minister Cele and provide him with 90 days to ensure the rape kit crisis is resolved by ensuring that provincial needs are met.
This issue has to do with the lives and dignity of the women and children of our country. The current figures indicate that SAPS has run short of over 128 000 rape kits, with only around 18 000 adult rape kits in circulation in SA.
| ITEM DESCRIPTION | EC | FS | GP | KZN | LIM | MP | NW | NC | WC | TOTAL | |
| D1-Adult Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit | Amount Required | 10 000 | 3 621 | 22 555 | 12 767 | 3 000 | 3 770 | 3 500 | 2 467 | 5 207 | 68 542 |
| Currently In-Stock | 1 457 | 340 | 3 965 | 5 368 | 1 494 | 2 867 | 883 | 784 | 1 083 | 18 241 | |
| D7-Paediatric Sexual Assault Evidence Collection
Kit |
Amount Required | 10 000 | 12 516 | 11 200 | 8 924 | 4 000 | 2 615 | 3 000 | 1 952 | 4 584 | 59 506 |
| Currently In-Stock | 2 642 | 340 | 3 965 | 6 696 | 5 805 | 5 317 | 1 383 | 432 | 729 | 25 464 |
If the Minister of Police does not heed to our call to resolve the rape kits crisis he must take full responsibility for the failure of the SAPS to investigate rape, arrest rapists and ensure successful prosecutions of those who commit this heinous crime.
The DA will continue to fight for the rights of our survivors by ensuring that our police services are equipped to put criminals behind bars where they belong.