Everyone with a semblance of sense between the ears can see straight through the Gupta sale of ANN7 and newspaper The New Age to Mzwanele “Jimmy” Manyi.

We picked apart just how funky the financing behind the deal is on Tuesday (HERE), and sometimes you can’t do much other than laugh.

That appears to be the approach taken by those who work at ANN7, who are already well versed in the ridiculous, because their first meeting with the new boss was apparently rather memorable.

It is being reported that employees laughed at Manyi, the new boss, with this from Times LIVE:

…Manyi seemed embarrassed when a female employee asked him where he got the R450-million to buy the two media entities.

“He [said] his company has been saving money and has investments,” the employee said.

“We just laughed because we know the truth.”

The employee said her colleagues were not satisfied with Manyi’s explanation.

He was also asked how, without experience, he would manage the two media companies.

“He told us about his employment history. He said he worked at Government Communication and Information Systems for years.”

We have mentioned this before, but in case you missed it here’s what you really need to know about Manyi. It is common knowledge that he is a massive Zuma supporter and, in a recent interview, said he hoped to cure South Africa of “Guptaphobia”.

I guess we know what his agenda is, then.

Back to the ridiculing:

One of the employees said the former government spokesman was ridiculed when he spoke about his acquisition of the Gupta family’s media interests.

“He expressed disappointment and tried to compose himself,” the employee said.

“Manyi told us that the media will now throw things at him.”

The meeting was attended by New Age editor Ricky Naidoo and former New Age/ANN7 editor-in-chief Moegsien Williams.

The employees present disagreed with Manyi when he told them that they had been under good management.

Funny that the ANN7 staff decide to grow a backbone now, but have been happy to flog the pro-Zuma / Gupta message for years.

Oh well, you have to start somewhere.

[source:timeslive]