As if gangsterism in the Western Cape wasn’t bad enough, I was as shocked as anyone to find out that Planning Minister, and former Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel is a hardened gangster.

The news of Mr. Manuel’s gangsterism came as a shock to me via an open letter from Paul Ngobeni in the Sunday Independent. Ngobeni, who is a stand-up character with a reputation that precedes him, and is also best friends with President JZ, said in the letter that Manuel acted as if he was “the king of coloured people” and is a gangster of the worst kind.

He also said that Manuel was undermining the president and cabinet for their appointment of Jimmy Manyi as government spokesman. As if his point hadn’t been made already, Ngobeni strongly suggested that Manuel be given the old heave-ho post haste.

Ngobeni then continued his letter by stating: “I was appalled by your cowardly, unwarranted and racist attacks on Manyi.” Clearly Mr Ngobeni hasn’t heard the term “irony”.

But his most serious accusation, and one that the South African Police Services might want to check out, is, “In gangster-like fashion some of you have deliberately targeted Manyi and have relentlessly pursued an agenda of driving him out of any position where his views may be heard.”

The letter was a response to an open letter that Manuel wrote to Manyi, accusing him of being a racist, in response to proposed changes in BEE legislation.

Let’s just hope this beef don’t end up in a gun-fight in Nelson Mandela Drive.

[Source : Sunday Independent]