Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa on Tuesday visited the family of Olga Kekana who was allegedly shot dead by police officers who mistook her for a hijacker.

"We are here today to express our sincerest condolences to the whole Kekana family following the unfortunate loss of life of your daughter," Mthethwa said.

"As the leadership of the police, we regret this unfortunate incident and wish to express our sympathy. The police have a duty to fight crime while protecting the lives of citizens, and this must be done within the boundaries of the law."

The Minister said the police would cooperate with the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) in its investigation into the shooting incident in which Kekana was killed and two other people were wounded.

Members of the Flying Squad had been "looking out" for a hijacked grey Toyota Corolla when they spotted a car fitting the description and opened fire in Mabopane, north of Pretoria, on Sunday.

"We also urge the public not to arrive at any unfounded conclusions pending these investigations by creating claims that this incident is a direct result of government's proposed legislative changes to Section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act," said Mthethwa.

"Trigger-happy members of the police must not think that this is a license to kill"

"The police leadership has emphasised and will continue to do so, that trigger-happy members of the police must not think that this is a license to kill."

Meanwhile, the Congress of the People Youth Movement expressed "grave concern" at the incident.

"It is difficult to understand why, if the intention was to apprehend ? not kill the suspects ? the police did not shoot at the vehicle's tyres, thereby disable its movement forward without taking the life of a human being...," it said.

"Now, as was the case then, the militarisation of the police service will not positively impact on crime.

"Instead, it is a vindictive and cynical exercise aimed at manipulating victims of crime into the belief that the solution lies in an eye for an eye and not addressing crime-producing conditions."

President Jacob Zuma recently met 1000 police station commanders to hear what problems they faced every day.

At this meeting, he expressed support for the amendment, which will give the police more lenience to shoot in dangerous situations.

Zuma said at the meeting: "Criminals don't take an oath to do warning shots... 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...

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