Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has dismissed claims of a nationwide shortage of rape evidence collection kits, assuring South Africans that both adult and child forensic kits remain available across the country despite concerns raised by the Democratic Alliance (DA) over supplies in the Western Cape.
The reassurance follows legal action threatened by the DA, which has formally demanded answers from the minister over what it describes as an impending crisis involving D1 (adult) and D7 (child) forensic evidence collection kits in the province.
In a statement issued, Cachalia said there was “no shortage” of rape kits nationally and that the South African Police Service (SAPS) remained committed to ensuring survivors of sexual violence receive the care and support they deserve.
“Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) remains one of South Africa’s most pressing national challenges, and the South African Police Service remains unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that every victim of sexual violence is treated with dignity, compassion and urgency,” he said.
Cachalia described rape evidence collection kits as a critical part of the criminal justice process, saying they enable forensic evidence to be collected to strengthen investigations and help secure convictions.
