Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbite by Lisa Schickerling MP.
– DNA kit shortages exposed in provinces.
– SAPS assurances contradicted by oversight.
– DA demands answers on stock failures.
A DA oversight inspection at the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) Supply Chain Management (SCM) office in Kimberley has uncovered ongoing shortages of DNA collection kits in the Northern Cape, despite assurances given to Members of Parliament earlier this month that sufficient stock was available nationally to meet provincial demand.
Yesterday, together with DA Northern Cape MPL Reinette Liebenberg, I conducted an oversight visit to the SCM office following numerous complaints from across the province regarding shortages of DNA collection kits, commonly known as DB kits.
During the inspection, evidence was presented showing that the Northern Cape SCM office requested 2,000 kits on 24 April 2026 and again on 11 June 2026, but has not received sufficient stock. We were also informed that a request from the Free State for 3,000 kits has similarly not been fulfilled.
These findings directly contradict assurances provided to Members of Parliament during an oversight visit to the national SCM office in Pretoria on 3 June 2026, where officials indicated that adequate stock was available to supply all provinces.
SAPS cannot claim that stock is available while provinces remain unable to access the resources they need. Either national supply figures are inaccurate, or there has been a serious failure in the distribution of stock to provinces. In either case, the responsibility lies with those tasked with managing and overseeing the system.
DB kits are used by SAPS to collect DNA reference samples from qualifying offenders for inclusion on the National Forensic DNA Database. Without these kits, offenders who should be profiled cannot be added to the database, reducing the ability of law enforcement to link suspects to past and future crimes. A shortage of these kits directly undermines crime-fighting efforts.
The DA calls on the Minister of police and SAPS management to urgently account for the discrepancy between the assurances given to Parliament and the reality facing provinces. We further demand immediate intervention to ensure that outstanding orders are fulfilled and that provinces receive the stock required to maintain critical services.
South Africans deserve a national police that can competently manage essential resources.