A Canadian immigration tribunal decision giving refugee status to a white South African is a racist move, South Africa's ruling political party says.

Published reports say Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board granted status last week to Brandon Huntley after he claimed he would be persecuted at home because of his colour and the South African government could not protect him.

In a statement, the African National Congress called Huntley's claims of being attacked seven times because of his colour "sensational and alarming."

"Canada's reasoning for granting Huntley a refugee status can only serve to perpetuate racism," the statement continued.

The board refused to comment or release the decision. Spokesman Stéphane Malepart said he is barred by privacy provisions from commenting on any individual case.

However, news reports said the board allowed Huntley to stay in Canada because he presented "clear and convincing proof of the state's inability or unwillingness to protect him."

Colour stands out, chairman says

"I find that the claimant would stand out like a 'sore thumb' due to his colour in any part of the country," tribunal panel chairman William Davis was quoted as saying.

The ANC statement said the South African government is dedicated to fighting crime: "South Africa is a constitutional democracy with organs of state fully in place to fight crime — one of the ANC's key priorities — without any reference to race of a victim or perpetrator."

"We don't have a discrimination problem in South Africa," ANC spokesman Brian Sokutu told CBC News from Johannesburg.

"We come from the past of apartheid, we come from the past of racism," he said. "What we do have as a policy is affirmative action and black economic empowerment, and all that is seeking to do is redress decades of apartheid."

Sokutu said South Africa's high commissioner to Canada has been in contact with Canadian authorities and asked for an explanation of the reasoning that went into the refugee board's decision.

Ronnie Mamoepa, a spokesman for South Africa's Department of Home Affairs, told the Cape Times newspaper the department was aware of Huntley's "baseless allegations against our people and our country."

"His claims would have been preposterous and laughable, had they not been so serious," Mamoepa added.

With files from The Canadian Press