The statement made by the national police commissioner, Jackie Selebi, would not be supported by the IFP, said Mr VB Ndlovu MP, IFP Safety and Security spokesperson.

"It is impossible that the police can be disarmed while they are killed by criminals in numbers. The IFP would not support the National Commissioner's view at the launch of a study on the proliferation of small arms in Southern Africa.

"As long as police are targeted by criminals, as long as it takes time for police killers to be sentenced, as long as killing of the police is not taken as a capital act against the perpetrators, police will carry firearms until the situation requires it."

"Police must have arms when they are on duty. This is not a first world country; we are living in a third world country," Mr Ndlovu said.