The governing ANC in South Africa has accused the father of Oscar Pistorius of making racist comments.
Henke Pistorius told a British newspaper that his family needed guns because the government failed to protect white people.
The African National Congress said said the party "rejects with contempt" the claim that the government was not willing to protect white people.
"We call on South Africans to desist from wild and prejudiced speculation," said ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu.
"Let us give our courts a chance to deal with this matter."
Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on 14 February. Pistorius was released on bail on 22 February and is due to appear in court again in June.
He is charged with premeditated murder.
The Beeld newspaper reports the Pistorius family owned 55 guns.
"Some of the guns are for hunting and some are for protection, the hand guns. It speaks to the ANC government, look at white crime levels (sic), why protection is so poor in this country, it's an aspect of our society," The Telegraph quotes Henke Pistorius as saying.
Official police statistics show that serious crime has fallen in South Africa by 31.8% from 2004/5 to 2011/12, with the murder rate down by 27.6%.
In September 2011, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said the number of murders each year had dropped to 15,940, from more than 27,000 in 1995/96.
