The African National Congress (ANC) said on Wednesday that it has always been consistent in its pursuit of a non-racial and a just society, and is hitting back against political parties for using race politics as a means of fear-mongering.

This after Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen criticised the party of preparing to use Employment Equity Act (EEA) regulation, currently in the draft phase, to exert State control, deepen social divisions and ban certain communities from employment in particular sectors of the economy.

The DA says the regulations in the Act will set out racial employment quotas across various sectors of the economy and is concerned that the amended legislation could be manipulated to hire “connected ANC cadres”.

Steenhuisen claimed the legislation would have a debilitating effect on the economy and on specific racial groups including members of the Indian and Coloured communities.

The ANC says it has noted “propaganda” by the DA claiming the ruling party is advancing crude race politics through the promotion of new race laws, which the DA claims prohibits the employment of specific racial groups in certain provinces and sectors.

“The ANC rejects this notion with contempt. Such a policy would be inconsistent with the entire ethos of the ANC, particularly the pursuit of the National Democratic Revolution which seeks to democratise our society and all spheres of the economy including the labour market. The ANC-led liberation movement has always been consistent in its pursuit of a non-racial and a just society. Building a non-racial labour market is a fundamental aspect of the National Democratic Revolution,” says the party.

The ANC says it is time that “political parties across the right wing spectrum” desist from using race politics as a means of fear-mongering, and must, instead, reverse "cultures of racial denialism".

The party expresses confidence in the EEA, saying the amendment is consistent with the country’s Constitution and will help South Africa transform the labour market and society.