"We will not destroy fruits of our hard-earned democracy by abusing power as the Sunday newspaper report wants people to believe," said party spokesman Brian Sokutu.

On Sunday, the City Press reported that the ANC was allegedly abusing its authority by running three provinces from party offices, keeping top posts for party members and dictating on procurement.

The newspaper said the ANC provincial executives of Limpopo, Northern Cape and the Free State had taken control of state administration.

"This means that the ANC, as a political party, is not only affecting political appointments in the provincial legislatures and in municipalities, but is also indirectly determining the awarding of tenders and the appointment of senior bureaucrats."

Responding to the report, Sokutu said at no stage had the ANC mandated any of its provincial structures to run provincial governments from the organisation's office.

"We believe in the highest standards of integrity from our elected representatives and appointed public officials."

He said there were key laws in place and which the ANC adhered to about how financial management must be governed in the local government sphere.

"Government is required by law to advertise tenders and jobs. Qualifying companies or individuals are normally shortlisted and go through a panel before any contract is awarded," said Sokutu.

"These are rigorous processes and no one - not even an ANC leader - can attempt [to] flout any of these laws by dictating to government how to run its business."

Sokutu said as far as deployments were concerned, it was "an internationally accepted norm" for a ruling party to deploy its cadres into government positions.

"South Africa is no exception," he said.

Earlier on Sunday the Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Sandra Botha said the City Press allegations indicated: "The party comes first and the people a very distant second."

"The reality is that the ANC believes in a closed patronage society, where one's access to opportunity is defined not by your ability, but by the strength of your ties to the governing party," she said in a statement.