The communities had expressed their concerns about crime in South Africa during a meeting with Zuma in September last year, before he was inaugurated as president.

"Because as we try to be very liberal about it, criminals kill, do everything, instil fear to society and that's why I always... need to support Minister [of Police Nathi] Mthetwa in the measures he is undertaking to deal with crime.

"In recognition of this, we have put a commissioner who doesn't laugh with the criminals," he said, referring to newly appointed National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele.

Zuma said criminals undermined the rights of citizens and this could not be condoned.

"Criminals... actually stop the rights of some citizens to live by shooting them and killing them and the next moment the lawyers are there to take him out because the Constitution says you have a right to be out on bail.

"But I don't know, to me there's a contradiction... I'm talking reality, citizens are not protected.
"That's a reality and I think government has a responsibility to protect citizens," he said.

Zuma said the government was in the process of overhauling the criminal justice system and boosting the number of police officials.

The government was "particularly concerned" with violent crime and crimes against women and children.

"We are particularly concerned with violent crime and the prevalence of violence in the perpetration of robberies," he said, referring to a spate of robberies at shopping malls.

"We need to act swiftly... to ensure that we halt such crimes," he said.