​"ACO supports legislation and policies which unite citizens. Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment policies are not in line with our foundational stance."
(Response to Christian Action Network Policy Survey).

"...The IFP supports affirmative action so long as efficiency and standards are not compromised. Affirmative action should be Implemented by adopting appropriate recruitment practices." (Correctional Services Policy)

COPE supports putting measures in place to "...strengthen the implementation of the Employment Equity Act (Affirmative Action) and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment..." (COPE 2009 Election Manifesto).

​Opposes affirmative action. Media Release: ANC Policy Redistributes Poverty, not Wealth.

Banners at EFF rallies have read "Honeymoon is over for white people in South Africa" and "To be a revolutionary you have to be inspired by hatred and bloodshed". EFF Leader, Julius Malema said there would never be reconciliation in the country as long as whites had the land. (“EFF: White people must learn to share”, 15 Oct 2013, www.mg.co.za.)

“Does the DA support Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Affirmative Action? We agreed that the answer to all these questions is an unequivocal ‘Yes’.  But this does not mean that we support the ANC's approach to redress. Our challenge is to strike the balance between the need for race-based redress and our commitment to non-racialism.” DA Leader Helen Zille, press conference, Cape Town, 24/11/13

​The CDP supports “an equal opportunity system that is not based on race” (response to Christian Action Network Policy Survey).

The Cape Party rejects Affirmative Action. “The Cape Party believes in equal opportunity for all citizens, and would bring about an end to all racial legislation, quotas, and policies that the South African government is enforcing on the Cape.” (Cape Party Manifesto).

"In order to redress our legacy of discrimination the (AA) Bill unavoidably recognises groups.” (ANC Parliamentary speech 20/08/98). "It was the ANC who put affirmative action on the agenda" (Affirmative Action and the New Constitution)

Despite changing their stance on Affirmative Action in 2018 to:
“The ACDP would change the focus of Affirmative Action from previously disadvantaged to disadvantaged individuals. Because of the historic and current racial and socio-economic nature of poverty, the real focus of an Affirmative Action policy, based on disadvantaged, would not change dramatically from one that is race-based. However, this change in focus, away from the current racially discriminatory nature of Affirmative Action, will make it a social welfare issue.” Policy on Trade and Industry, ACDP Policy Document 2018
 
The problem with having Affirmative Action for the “currently disadvantaged” or based on personal economic status, is that the demographics of our country would still, by default, discriminate on the basis of race. There will (almost) always be lots more poorer black people applying for a job than coloured, indian or white.

The Voters’ Guide looks not only at the current stance of the party on a particular issue, but also their voting track record on Bills related to the issue, in this case Affirmative Action. This is important because it is essential to evaluate not just what a party or candidate says, but also what they do, or have done. The ACDP supported both the Employment Equity Act of 1998 and the Employment Equity Amendment Act of 2013.