SA official in trouble over 8216;racist8217; remarks against Indians

A top South African official said that 'Indians are bargaining their way to the top.'

A top South African official is under increasing pressure to tender an apology over his remarks that 8220;Indians are bargaining their way to the top8221;,that is being interpreted by many here as being racist.

The opposition Democratic Alliance released an extract from an address by South African government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi made sometime last year to the Durban Chamber of Commerce as he commented on the quotas of employment equity legislation that is aimed at correcting the imbalances of the apartheid era when Whites held the majority of top positions in business.

8220;We should be having only 3 per cent of Indian employees. They are sitting at 5.9 per cent. I call it the power of bargaining. Indians are bargaining their way to the top,8221; Manyi said.

Furious Indian leaders have hit out at Manyi8217;s stereotyping of South Africa8217;s 1.4 million citizens of Indian origin,two-thirds of whom live in the Greater Durban area,where they first settled after arriving as indentured labourers in 1860.

Manyi8217;s latest comments about Indians came after he made remarks about there being an 8220;over-concentration of Coloured mixed race people in the Western Cape Province8221; and called on them to 8220;spread in the rest of the country8221; to meet Employment Equity quotas.

Both comments were made while he was Director-General of the Department of Labour,the ministry charged with drawing up employment equity legislation.

The African National Congress ANC distanced itself from Manyi8217;s remarks,with one of its senior leaders,former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel,publishing an open letter condemning his actions and referring to Manyi as a 8220;worst-order racist8221;.

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Former cabinet minister Jay Naidoo also called on the ANC and government to act against Manyi to prove to the country that the ruling party has not abandoned the non-racist principles that served as its foundation.

Naidoo said silence on the matter by the ANC or President Jacob Zuma would be regrettable as it might be misunderstood as a shift from the ANC view on non-racialism.

Influential lobbyist Yusuf Abramjee,the Chairperson of the National Press Club,said he was offended by Manyi8217;s remarks.

8220;We can8217;t make jokes at the expense of any race groups,8221; Abramjee said.

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8220;Manyi owes not only the Indian and coloured population an apology,but he should apologise to the entire nation in his own writing for the clear public rejection of his remarks,as evidenced by the huge public outcry,8221; he said.

Abramjee,who is also of Indian origin,said that Manyi has not personally apologised and has refused to comment on the incidents,but an apology on his behalf was made by the Government Communication Information Services.