“I didn’t form COPE”- Trevor Manuel

Politics /12 May 2022, 13:21pm/ Staff Writer

Former ANC national executive committee NEC member Trevor Manuel: image supplied

Bloemfontein: Former ANC national executive committee NEC member Trevor Manuel is considering taking legal action against controversial media personality JJ Tabane after he refused to retract claims that Manuel had a hand in the formation of Cope. 

Speaking to Free State Insider , Manuel said Tabane had confirmed that he had received his letter and that he was indeed interviewed on the podcast Hustler’s Corner. 

“If he [Tabane] is refusing to retract, the only means I have to make him retract is to take the legal route,” he said. 

He added that he had set the litigation in motion on Thursday morning, and his legal team was working through what charges to bring against Tabane. 

Manuel said comments that he was involved in the formation of Congress of the People (Cope) are untrue and have stripped him of his integrity.

Earlier this week, the former minister wrote to broadcaster JJ Tabane demanding he apologise and retracts the statement he made during an interview on YouTube channel the Hustlers Corner or face legal action.

Tabane was asked if any African National Congress (ANC) leaders were involved in forming Cope and he answered in the affirmative, mentioning Manuel by name, adding that they could “deny all they want”

Manuel maintains this is a complete fabrication.

“In fact, despite the fact that I have known Mluleki George, Mosiuoa Lekota, Mbhazima Shilowa for decades I didn’t even have a glass of water with them over that. I was not involved in any discussions so for JJ to claim that I was must be a complete fabrication,” he said.

Manuel said Thabane’s comments stripped him of his integrity.

“To say that whilst I was in Cabinet, I was also involved in another party is to lower my integrity, it strips me of my integrity. I have nothing against the people who formed Cope but to suggest that I was a participant in this arrangement is to strip me of my integrity and that is what JJ must understand integrity matters.”

Meanwhile, Tabane has told the 702 breakfast show that he is awaiting Manuel’s court papers.

Free State Insider