The family of murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius has claimed it needs guns because the ANC government fails to protect white people, it was reported on Tuesday.

The athlete's father Henke Pistorius told British newspaper The Daily Mirror that his family could not rely on the police for protection and owned guns for their own safety.

"Some of the guns are for hunting and some are for protection, the handguns. It speaks to the ANC government, look at white crime levels, why protection is so poor in this country, it's an aspect of our society," Pistorius sen. was quoted saying.

"You can't rely on the police, not because they are inefficient always, but because crime is so rife."

Pistorius faces a murder charge after shooting dead his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on St Valentine's Day.

He was granted bail of R1 million by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court last month. His next court appearance is on June 4.

Steenkamp was cremated in a private ceremony in Port Elizabeth on February 19.