Most police stations don’t have a single rape kit in stock, DA reveals
The shortage is a crisis of national importance, which needs to be resolved as a matter of great urgency, the party says.
Children, staff and supporters from the Afrika Tikkun Uthando Centre march, 5 June 2019, through the streets of Johannesburg raising awareness for children’s rights during Child Protection Week, which runs until 9 June. The march highlighted that, that according to Minister of Police Bheki Cele, 2 600 children were murdered – 5% of the total murders – and 41% of all reported rape cases have been of children. Picture: Michel Bega
The Democratic Alliance in a statement on Sunday said it could reveal that 76% of police stations in South Africa did not have adult rape kits in stock.
A further 69% of stations did not have child rape kits in stock, said MP Andrew Whitfield.
“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.
“These shocking statistics were revealed by the national police commissioner after a request for information submitted by the DA.”
The DA planned to write to Minister Bheki Cele and provide him with 90 days to ensure the rape kit crisis was resolved by ensuring that provincial needs were met.
“This issue has to do with the lives and dignity of the women and children of our country. The current figures indicate that the SAPS has run short of over 128,000 rape kits, with only around 18,000 adult rape kits in circulation in SA.
“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.”
(Edited by Charles Cilliers)
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
