NATIONAL Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa yesterday expressed concern that the security industry seems to have more members than the police force.

NATIONAL Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa yesterday expressed concern that the security industry seems to have more members than the police force.

"We have 188 000 police members while the security industry has more than 350 000.

"We have a committee to look into this issue," he said.

Mthethwa, pictured, raised his concerns when he called on members of the Klaarwater township community to surrender their legal and illegal firearms before the amnesty deadline.

Mthethwa spent yesterday engaging with residents of the township west of Durban to ensure that they report those with illegal firearms to the police.

He said this township was among those most badly affected by social ills and crime in the province.

Mthethwa said the community complained that children were now abusing drugs, especially "wonga".

"It's our responsibility to ensure that these children are being saved from drugs.

"And we need to close the source of drugs in the area too.

We want to ensure that people with illegal firearms are reported to the police," Mthethwa. said

He said the government's campaign, known as awulethe umshini wakho, urging people to surrender their legal and illegal firearm was yielding results.

Mthethwa said the amnesty period was meant to close the sources of illegal firearms, particularly at the borders.

Mthethwa said he was worried about the children who died each year as a result of negligence with licenced and unlicenced firearms.

"We want those people to be held responsible if they do not surrender their firearms."