Former South African Finance Minister and Reserve Bank Governor, Tito Titus Mboweni, will be buried at his hometown in Tzaneen, Limpopo on Saturday.
Mboweni, 65, died on Saturday night after a short illness, his family said in a statement.
He passed away in a Johannesburg hospital, surrounded by his loved ones.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said Mboweni’s life was a testament to a life lived in sacrifice, dedication, and selfless service to the people of South Africa.
“Comrade Tito was one of the prime figures in the government of national unity led by President Mandela,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
She said Mboweni was “a critical architect of South Africa’s post-apartheid labour legislation laying the foundation for collective bargaining and establishing labour courts to uphold worker rights”.
“These transformative laws ensured that the voices of South African workers enshrined in the constitution adopted in 1996 would guarantee the protections that workers continue to enjoy to this day,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
In 1998, he began his tenure as an Advisor to the Reserve Bank Governor installing him in preparation for his appointment as the first black African Governor of the South African Reserve Bank.
“His leadership marked a crucial moment in our country's financial history as he led the Reserve Bank in adopting inflation targeting, ensuring that price stability would be maintained in the fragile post-apartheid economy.
“His contributions in this space helped steer South Africa through economic turbulence and he was widely respected for this, both locally and internationally.
“Comrade Tito will be remembered not only for his immense contributions to the economy but also for his unwavering connection to the people he served. His legacy of dedication, innovation, and service will remain a guiding light for generations to come,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
Ramaphosa earlier paid tribute to Mboweni, saying:
“Given his sense of vitality and energetic and affable engagement with fellow South Africans, Dr Mboweni’s passing at 65 comes as a shock.
“We have lost a leader and compatriot who has served our nation as an activist, economic policy innovator and champion of labour rights,” said Ramaphosa.
After Ramaphosa finally gave him his wish to leave government, the former finance minister would become a bit of a social media cooking sensation, with his dishes, with some referring to him as Mr Garlic.
This did not go unnoticed with the president, who remarked about Mboweni’s cooking skills:
“He conducted himself with expert rigour while maintaining the personable touch that made him a social media star and ambassador for Modjadjiskloof’s culinary traditions.
“His passing is a great loss. May his soul rest in peace,” said the president.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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