Allowing the police to shoot-to-kill as a strategy to combat crime was "reckless" and undermined people's right to life, Azapo said in a statement after a meeting of its central committee in Braamfontein, Johannebsurg, over the weekend.

"Acknowledging the rampant levels of violent crimes and that guns kill irrespective of the intent, Azapo has proposed that the country be freed of guns from civil society and only allow police and the military to carry these weapons when on duty," it said in a statement.

Last month, President Jacob Zuma threatened criminals with the implementation of a shoot-to-kill policy.

"Criminals don't take an oath to do warning shots," Zuma told police station commanders.

"If you take a gun out to me, that intent is more than clear, the next thing the criminal is going to shoot at me. That intent is very clear.

My thinking is once a criminal takes out their gun the intent is clear... police must then act to protect themselves and the innocents."

Zuma expressed support for an amendment of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) giving the police more lenience to shoot in dangerous situations.

"We have an abnormal criminal problem in South Africa. We must therefore apply extraordinary measures," he said.

However, Azapo was convinced that a gun-free society would "nullify the need for police to shoot-to-kill" as then they would be "the only ones carrying these dangerous weapons".

It believed the existing CPA provide for "sufficient protection" as it allowed the police to use weapons when confronted with danger.

"Azapo believes that the promotion and enhancement of investment on intelligence gathering will help in a big way to alleviate the levels of crime and get to the bottom of the high syndicate criminality that is propagated so violently in our beloved country."