The South African Police Service (SAPS) must remove lazy and inefficient officials from its ranks, trade union Solidarity's general secretary Flip Buys said on Wednesday.

Addressing a crime protest in Pretoria, Buys told hundreds of supporters and victims of crime that South Africans were tired of the bloodshed.

"We express our gratitude towards the thousands of police members who risk their lives to make South Africa safer, at the same time, we call for the removal of inefficient, lazy and corrupt police officials," Buys said.

Handing over a memorandum to Brigadier Phuntsi Chipu, he said that the protest was because crime was out of control and people feared for their safety.

"Through this protest memorandum we wanted to voice our anger about the crime situation and indicate that we will not allow crime to be regarded as a normal part of society.

"Crime is abnormal and this is why we are protesting against it. The day we stop protesting is the day we will have lost the fight."

Buys said that the community was also committed to the battle and that it would cooperate with the police to bring a ceasefire.

After receiving the memorandum, Chipu said that the police welcomed the initiative.

"Every step with the community to fight crime is one in a positive direction."

However, he said South Africa was a safe country and that crime was not as big a problem as people thought.

"It is safe, crime is everywhere in the world. It's no worse in South Africa," Chipu said.