"Criminals in South Africa... they look at what you have, rather than looking at your face," Cele said at a Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation meeting in Johannesburg.

He was reacting to a decision by Canadian authorities to grant South African Brandon Huntley refugee status for alleging that the government could not protect white South Africans from criminal attacks by "African South Africans".

"My house was broken into and some stuff was taken... and I remain black. Surely, my house was never broken into because I am black," said Cele.

Huntley told immigration officials in Canada that black people had attacked him on seven different occasions and that white people were not safe in South Africa.

He did not lay any charges with the police after any of the incidents, The Star newspaper reported on Wednesday.

"I've opened people's eyes," Huntley told the daily. Canadian authorities granted him refugee status, to the ire of the ruling African National Congress.

The South African government was not asked to make any presentation in the case.

The chairman of the board who made the decision, William Davis, ruled that Huntley "was a victim because of his race rather than a victim of criminality".

"The evidence... shows a picture of indifference and inability or unwillingness of the government and the security forces to protect white South Africans from persecution by African South Africans," said Davis.

Home affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said the decision was based on "absolute rubbish", while the ANC described it as racist.