Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, has moved to reassure rape victims that they will never be denied justice.
This, after the province's Safety MEC Weziwe Tikana revealed that zero rape kits were "currently on hand" to be used by the SAPS in the 2017/18 financial year.
This startling revelation was contained in a written response to questions by DA MPL, Bobby Stevenson, in the Bhisho Legislature.
Tikana also said that province was experiencing a shortage of DNA kits, which she said was a country-wide problem.
Accompanying the MEC’s written reply was confirmation from a senior police official that information provided to the MEC “is correct and verified with the offices”.
In a hard-hitting statement on Thursday, Stevenson said that thousands of women in the Eastern Cape who are raped could be denied justice because the South African Police Service does not have a single rape kit on hand.
He said it was a “crisis of huge proportions” and called for “heads to roll”.
In a statement on Friday, General Ntshinga, said she did not want to be drawn into a public debate, about what she called the alleged incorrect information provided to the MEC, adding that an internal investigation will be conducted.
She said she viewed this matter “as extremely sensitive and as such would not like to use the media as the platform to debate it, because it carries the potential to violate the right of the very victims of sexual offences and their relatives”.
“This office would like to assure all communities of the Eastern Cape and in particular the victims of the alleged crime, that they cannot and will never be denied justice as alleged in the media,” Ntshinga said.
“Perpetrators of crime will never be allowed to roam the streets when they have been identified to have committed such crimes. This is irrespective of the reasons and any circumstance including the shortages of crime kits”.
She said whilst the South African Police Service may from time to time experience shortages of the alleged apparatus (sic), the victims of crime have never gone without the necessary care and use of these kits.
“Therefore, any suggestion that people of the Eastern Cape are being betrayed is an exaggerated version of events. There is absolutely no crisis of huge proportions and the SAPS is not under-resourced as alleged. Its personnel are well trained and capable of dealing with all sexually related crimes and others,” Ntshinga said.
“Whilst this office does not want to be drawn into a public debate about the alleged incorrect information provided to the MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison Ms Tikana, it is, however, conducting an internal investigation and is in contact with the MEC’s office regarding the matter.
“My office would like to reassure the people of the Eastern Cape that while the process of procurement is pursued, service delivery will not be compromised and therefore the situation is under control,” said Lt Gen Ntshinga.
Below is the official reply by MEC Tikana to Stevenson's quesionts.
