A surprise parliamentary oversight visit to the South African Police Service's Provincial Supply Chain store in Epping has confirmed that essential rape kits are currently unavailable in the Western Cape.
The visit was conducted after media reports raised concerns about shortages of the D1 and D7 kits used to collect forensic evidence in sexual-assault cases.
The findings, which have been highlighted by Parliament in a statement, indicate that neither adults nor children would be able to undergo the required forensic collection process should they report a rape case today. Empty shelves at the facility underscored the severity of the situation.
