'Bending the Rules' is a colourful collection of anecdotes from Rafique Gangat's extraordinary life. South Africa's first diplomat of colour, Gangat first worked for Foreign Affairs under the NP and then for the ANC government, straddling the transition.This book documents Gangat's battles against bigotry and prejudice, but also includes a healthy dose of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll: illicit liaisons across the colour bar, experiments with dagga, and ground-breaking ventures in music and radio.