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The African National Congress Youth League is disturbed by the open letter written by Trevor Manuel to Government Spokesperson, Jimmy Manyi concerning the unfortunate remarks the latter made about the over-concentration of Coloureds in the Western Cape. In the letter, Trevor Manuel labels Jimmy Manyi a racist and likens him to the architect of apartheid HF Verwoerd because of an unfortunate observation Jimmy Manyi made, that Coloured people are concentrated in the Western Cape. Trevor Manuel further questions the integrity and credentials of Jimmy Manyi in a very sarcastic manner.

The Youth League is disturbed because as far as we are concerned, Jimmy Manyi publicly apologised for those remarks and the ANC and most of society have accepted the apology. Typically, Trevor Manuel defines himself outside the ANC and subjectively attacks Jimmy Manyi, accuses him of racism as if Jimmy Manyi is an outcast. The ANC Youth League wonders why Trevor Manuel is doing this because the ANC has spoken and provided guidance on this issue. We now do not know who Trevor Manuel represents, because his remarks falls squarely into the political agenda of right-wing political forces opposed to the African National Congress.

The ANC Youth League also finds it odd that Trevor Manuel finds it difficult to forgive one of his own who publicly apologised for the remarks about Coloureds, but works with and recurrently protects the interests of white monopoly capitalists, who are the real culprits in the struggle against social, and economic emancipation of the black majority and Africans in particular. Jimmy Manyi has apologised and the ANC has accepted the apology on behalf of all its loyal members. The ANC YL calls on those who express subjective sentiments about this issue to do so internally and avoid causing confusion about the guidance provided by the ANC, because such conduct is totally out of order.

For the record, the ANC Youth League will never agree with any piece of legislation that excludes or discriminates against the historically disadvantaged individuals, and this includes Coloureds, Indians and Africans. The ANC and its allies has in more than one occasion re-affirmed that the bill that somewhat suggests exclusion of certain people will not be adopted as an Act of parliament, so those who are raising false alarms should in all honesty, relax.