South African President Jacob Zuma says the county's police do not have a "license to kill", but vowed to crackdown on rampant crime ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

His words came on Friday, a day after his deputy police minister, Fikile Mbalula, told reporters in Cape Town that he has told his officers to "shoot the bastards" in fighting criminals.

"No police officer has permission to shoot suspects in circumstances other than those provided for by law. The law does not give the police a license to kill," said Zuma.

"We have stated our position very clearly. It is the duty of the police to protect all people against injury or loss of life. But ... police sometimes have no choice but to use lethal force to defend themselves and others," Zuma said.

After taking office in May, Zuma's government has tried to decrease the country's crime rate, but still, an average 50 killings a day sometimes for as little as a mobile phone, displays severe lack of security.

Zuma, who has backed stronger gun-powers for the police, said that crime was at the top of his government's agenda. He said the police force would be boosted by some 24,000 in the next three years with detectives increasing by 19 percent this year.

presstv