Tributes pour in for Mboweni

By Libuseng Nyaka

QWAQWA – With commiseration messages continuing to pour in, the departed former finance minister and first Black South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni has been hailed as an intellectual of note.

Mboweni died at the Johannesburg hospital on Saturday at the age of 65, according to a statement released by his family.

A former lecturer of his at National University of Lesotho who taught him in 1983 when he was in his second year and third year of the political economy of Southern Africa, who has also known him for over 41 years, Professor Sehoai Santho, said it is a sad time to be talking about Mboweni.

Late Former SA reserve bank governor and minister of finance Tito Mboweni.

“I have had a good relationship with Tito for 41 years. When I was a lecturer there he was doing his second and third year and we immediately hit it off because he was a very bright student, and he did a course with me from 1984 and 1985 on the political economy of Southern Africa.

“Tito did very well in my course and after graduating he asked me to make a reference for him to the person who was running the ANC scholarship programme in Dar es salam Tanzania and I made a glowing reference for him. At the end of the reference I said Tito Mboweni is very committed to the liberation of South Africa and is very committed to his organization African National Congress (ANC). He will prove to be an asset to the ANC.”

Late Former SA reserve bank governor Tito Mboweni during his graduation.

Sharing the same sentiments, Mbazma Shilowa remembered Mboweni for the strides he made in implementing laws that were pro-workers while he was the minister of labour.

“Tito, like many young people went to exile, came back and was given an opportunity to serve as minister of labour Tito crafted a very progressive labour relations Act. He must be remembered for that work.”

Another person who had known Mbeweni for over 41 years is his homeboy Professor Bonke Dumisa who also studied with him at the National University of Lesotho.

Describing Mboweni, he quoted a Tsonga saying ‘Mitiro ya bolabola’, which is loosely translated to mean let your actions speak louder.

“For over 41 years that I have known Mboweni when we met at the National University of Lesotho where he was in exile, we were studying together in 1983. He was always with his friends. He was a great person.”