Crime legislation could get more "bite" under a new administration, ANC president Jacob Zuma's spokesman said on Wednesday.

A review of legislation pertaining to crime was on the cards, Zizi Kodwa said after talks between Zuma and civic rights group Afriforum, affiliated to the union Solidarity.

"Laws must bite," said Kodwa. "As things stand, some of the laws are very friendly for criminals."

They made South Africa a haven for crime syndicates, he said.

Kodwa said dealing with crime would be the top priority for a new African National Congress administration.

"Crime is worrisome for everyone," he said, adding it was one of the main issues discussed at Wednesday's talks, together with poverty and infrastructure development.

Afriforum CEO Kallie Kriel said Zuma had undertaken to study the handling of the country's crime crisis as set out in a research report compiled by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

"The report found that the South African government failed in its duty to develop and implement a national strategy to address the danger presented by crime to South Africans effectively," Kriel said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The report also proves that the government did not comply with its undertaking to provide alternative security structures with the disbanding of the commandos at all."

In light of the country's crime crisis, it was of cardinal
importance that the deficiencies in government's actions regarding crime be eradicated as soon as possible, he said.

"The report offers a firm foundation from whence a comprehensive crime strategy can be developed."

Kriel said Afriforum had advised Zuma that its legal team was preparing to take the government to court over the crime crisis.

"Zuma indicated that he takes the issue of crime seriously and believes that solutions can be found outside of the courts," said
Kriel.

He said Afriforum would ask the government elected on April 22 to address the deficiencies identified in the ISS report and would base any further steps on the government's response.

Kodwa said Wednesday's meeting was one in an ongoing series between Zuma and Solidarity.

He said Zuma had agreed to deliver the keynote address at
Solidarity's national congress on March 26, as he did last year.