Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has, through its lawyers, formally placed Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia on terms to respond to what it describes as a crisis over the supply of D1 (adult) and D7 (child) forensic evidence collection kits, commonly known as rape kits, in the Western Cape.
“DA has learnt that SAPS will not have rape kits to administer crucial testing of rape victims beyond 1 August in the WC. The Minister stated that delivery of rape kits would take place on 24 July 2026, meaning they have just over a week to ensure delivery to all SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Violence (FCS) units in the Western Cape by 1 August 2026,” the party said in a statement. .
In response to a parliamentary question submitted by the DA, the Acting Minister said that following the expiry of the previous supply contract on 3 April 2026, SAPS procured 11,540 D1 and D7 forensic evidence collection kits during April.
However, the DA said oversight visits conducted at FCS units and police stations across the Western Cape on 14 and 15 May found that many facilities had no rape kits available.
The party questioned how more than 11,000 kits could allegedly have been procured in April while frontline investigators were unable to access them just weeks later.
The DA said government has acknowledged gender-based violence as a national crisis, but argued that this commitment must be matched by action.
“Survivors of sexual violence cannot be expected to depend on uncertainty, contradictory explanations and failing supply chain management for access to justice.”
The party also confirmed that it has lodged a complaint against the Western Cape Provincial Head of Supply Chain Management, Major General Voskuil, for allegedly failing to ensure a consistent supply of rape kits.
DA MP Nicholas Gotsell warned that if the Acting Minister fails to guarantee a continuous supply of sufficient rape kits in the Western Cape, the party will approach the courts to compel SAPS to fulfil its constitutional obligations.
“The only way to clean up the scourge of GBV is to catch and convict rapists and child rapists.”
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
