Cape Town has dismissed claims in the Equality Court that it is creating "middle-class jobs" and discriminating against factory workers.

In papers presented to the court, Tony Ehrenreich - head of trade union federation Cosatu in Western Cape, an ANC city councillor and mayoral candidate - claims that the city spent millions "to promote tourism jobs" through its Design Capital and Table Mountain projects instead of promoting the creation of manufacturing jobs and the purchasing of local products.

A magistrate is yet to decide whether the court will hear the matter.

"The lack of purchasing of South African-made products led to the closure of companies," said Ehrenreich in his court submission, "so manufacturing-sector workers are unfairly discriminated against."

He wants the court to force the city to support workers in manufacturing in the "same way in which they support bosses in tourism".

Cape Town became the first African city to earn the World Design Capital title during the International Design Alliance congress in Taiwan in October. The city also campaigned successfully for Table Mountain to be named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

Acting city manager Mike Marsden has urged the court to dismiss the complaint .

"Accordingly, [Ehrenreich's] averment that the city discriminates by prioritising certain projects is simply lethargic speculation.

"It is submitted that budget resource allocations, even if skewed, cannot form the basis for a complaint of discrimination as alleged," said Marsden.