Tributes from across the political spectrum acknowledged the political and other contributions to democratic South Africa by former governor of the South African Reserve Bank and Labour and Finance Minister Dr Tito Mboweni, who died at the weekend, aged 65.
Mboweni was South Africa’s first Minister of Labour from 1994 to 1999 in the Cabinet of former president Nelson Mandela. He served as Governor of the South African Reserve Bank for a decade from 1999. From 2018 to 2021, Mboweni served as Minister of Finance in the administration led by Ramaphosa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “Given his sense of vitality and energetic and affable engagement with fellow South Africans, Dr Mboweni’s passing at 65 comes as a shock.”
Ramaphosa added: “We have lost a leader and compatriot who has served our nation as an activist, economic policy innovator and champion of labour rights.
“As governor and finance minister, he had a sharp focus on fiscal discipline and economic transformation. Tito Mboweni distinguished himself in different strategic roles in the private sector and was a flag bearer in global forums for our economy and developing economies more broadly.”
Ramaphosa said Mboweni “conducted himself with expert rigour while maintaining the personable touch that made him a social media star and ambassador for Modjadjiskloof’s culinary traditions”.
The ANC said Mboweni’s life was a “testament to a life lived in sacrifice, dedication and selfless service to the people of South Africa”.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said: “His role in shaping our democratic future, particularly in the dying days of apartheid, cannot be overstated.
Among other things, she noted that as the first black governor of the South African Reserve Bank, “his leadership marked a crucial moment in our country’s financial history”.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said of Mboweni that he was “(a) gentleman, revolutionary and commissar perfectly carried in one complex persona happy to engage in banal pleasantries and equally ready to exercise his intellectual acumen”.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed his “shock and deepest sorrow” at Mboweni’s death.
He posted on X: “Former Labour, Finance Minister & South Africa’s first post-Apartheid Central Bank Governor, Tito shaped many of the country’s post-1994 economic policies. Continentally, his rigorous thought leadership and strategic vision to the #AUReforms and the #AUPeaceFund of which he was Chair, cannot be overstated. Hambe Kahle, my Brother. With our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones, the Government & people of South Africa.”
DA national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau said Mboweni’s death “is a profound loss for South Africa, and his contributions to strengthening democracy and improving the lives of all South Africans will not be forgotten”.
She said: “Dr Mboweni was a steadfast opponent of corruption, and consistently championed fiscal responsibility. He worked tirelessly to steer the economy toward growth while mitigating the impact of rising debt levels. He will be remembered as a patriot who stood for what was right, even in challenging times, and as a humble and principled man at heart.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters said that “(while) we often found ourselves at odds with the former minister on policy matters – disagreeing with his neo-liberal and orthodox approach to economic policy”, the party acknowledged that “Dr Mboweni was always open to robust, frank, and intellectual exchanges”.
Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi described Mboweni as a “committed public servant who gave the best years of his life serving the people of South Africa”.
Zibi said that while some might remember him for “his categorically underwhelming cooking skills with self-effacing humour; or his unlaced, old brown shoes – his real legacy lies in the fruits of his labour”.
“As a freedom fighter, he was one of many who ensured we become a democracy. As a young Minister of Labour, he shepherded comprehensive labour market reforms that reduced man hours lost to strikes, protected the rights of workers and ensured their bargaining power was entrenched in our statutes.”
[Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/governmentza/50543016976]