The African National Congress accused the media on Friday of distorting its policies in a bid to sow racial division among South Africans — particularly residents of the Western Cape.
Recent ”gross distortion” of the ANC’s position on equity and restitution had been no innocent mistake, the party claimed in a statement.
”It is clearly part of a deliberate and malicious political agenda to sow division among the people of our country.”
It accused the Cape Argus newspaper of twisting ANC policy objectives by stating in report on Tuesday: ”It’s blacks before coloureds in the restitution queue”.
”Since then, the newspaper, along with other media, political parties and commentators has perpetuated that falsehood in a transparent attempt to ignite racial division and antagonism, particularly among the people of the Western Cape,” the ANC said.
Its policies were not about creating new racial preferences, but ensuring ”equitable representation” in the workforce, the ANC stressed.
The Cape Argus report was based on the response of ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama to claims by anti-apartheid activist Allan Boesak that the party had reintroduced ”the language of racial division”.
Ngonyama had not referred to equity or restitution in his interview with the paper, Friday’s statement said. He had ”merely repeated the long-standing policy positions of the ANC”.
The strategic objective of the ”national democratic revolution”, the party explained, was the creation of a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society.
”This, in essence, means the liberation of Africans in particular and black people in general [including Africans, coloureds and Indians] from political and economic bondage.”
This objective, the party said, was ”based on an analysis of the conditions which pertain today in South Africa as a consequence of centuries of colonialism and decades of apartheid discrimination and oppression”.
”The policies implemented by the ANC-led government since 1994 have sought to liberate all black South Africans [African, coloured and Indian] from political and economic bondage.
”The ANC’s approach to employment equity and restitution is informed by this objective, and by the various forms that discrimination and disadvantage have taken in society and in the economy.”
The Employment Equity Act sought to ensure the equitable representation of designated groups, including ”Africans”, coloureds and Indians, women and disabled people, in all occupational categories and levels in the workforce, the statement said.
”The ANC seeks not the creation of new racial preferences, but the equitable representation of all South Africans in the workforce and in accessing other social and economic opportunities.”
It urged members of the ANC, its alliance partners and the ”broader democratic movement” to resist ”this agenda” and to desist from any statements or actions which may fuel it.
The party promised a more comprehensive response on the matter in the coming week.
Argus editor Chris Whitfield could not be immediately reached for comment. — Sapa