As the country marks the final hours of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, it is utterly disgraceful that the Western Cape, and possibly the rest of the country, has been left without Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits – the most basic tool required to investigate, prosecute and convict rapists.
This shocking fact was confirmed today when the DA conducted an unannounced oversight visit at the SAPS Supply Chain Store in Epping.
Even more infuriating is the fact that the Western Cape SAPS submitted a formal requisition on 14 November, yet National SAPS Supply Chain Management has failed to deliver a single kit.
At several FCS units, shelves are empty. At others, kits have expired, including reports of up to 70 expired kits at a single station.
This is not an administrative delay. It is an act of negligence that directly sabotages rape investigations and destroys survivors’ chances of seeing justice. Without these kits, forensic evidence cannot be collected and convictions become almost impossible.
This is a tragic reality in a country already battling staggeringly low sexual-offence conviction rates.
That this failure has occurred during the very campaign meant to highlight the fight against gender-based violence is a bitter and painful irony.
This national failure undermines FCS detectives who work under immense pressure, retraumatises victims and signals a disturbing lack of urgency within SAPS leadership at national level.
The DA demands an immediate explanation from the National Commissioner and the SAPS Head of Supply Chain Management:
- Why were these critical kits not delivered after the 14 November requisition?
- Who is responsible for the stockout?
- What emergency measures are being implemented to immediately supply all Western Cape stations and FCS units?
- How many provinces are affected by the same national bottleneck?
- What measures are in place to ensure that this never happens again?
South Africa cannot continue to preach about ending violence against women while the state collapses at the most basic point of response.
National SAPS has failed survivors — and unless this crisis is corrected urgently, many more rapists will walk free because of it.
The DA will also demand a full list of every rape reported in the Western Cape over the past 16 days and an explanation of the investigation and evidence status.
It also demands an urgent explanation as to why the SAPS Western Cape spokesperson told the media there is a sufficient supply of sexual assault kits.