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The Democratic Alliance (DA) held a street march in Gugulethu, Cape Town, on Saturday morning to protest against gender-based violence (GBV) and the ongoing delays in processing DNA evidence, which the party says is denying justice to many survivors.
The march, joined by residents and community activists, saw the party hand over a memorandum calling for urgent government action to address the backlog in police forensic laboratories. The DA argued that these delays are preventing the timely prosecution of offenders, leaving survivors waiting for years for justice.
DA Chief Whip Siviwe Gwarube, who led the demonstration, stressed that the DNA backlog is one of the most critical obstacles in the fight against sexual violence. “In particular, the issue of DNA backlogs continues to undermine efforts to put perpetrators of sexual violence against women behind bars,” she said.
According to Gwarube, the march was also an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in advancing women’s rights while acknowledging the ongoing dangers faced by women and children in high-crime areas. “It’s important to note that this is an area that has been besieged with violence and continues to be a high-risk zone, particularly for women and children,” she added.
Gender-based violence remains a major concern in South Africa, with thousands of cases reported annually. The government has previously acknowledged the DNA backlog problem and promised reforms, but critics say progress has been slow.
Community members who joined the march echoed the DA’s call for urgent action, saying that delays in DNA processing often allow perpetrators to remain free and in some cases, reoffend.
The DA’s memorandum demands clear timelines for reducing the backlog, increased funding for forensic laboratories, and stronger accountability measures to ensure cases are processed without delay.
The party says it will continue its campaign to pressure authorities until survivors can see justice served promptly.
