Eulogy by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Special Official Funeral of Dr Tito Mboweni, Nkowankowa Stadium, Tzaneen

Programme Director,
The Mboweni family,
Former President Thabo Mbeki,
Former Deputy President David Mabuza,
Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Leadership of the African National Congress,
Leadership of the Alliance and the Democratic Movement,
Members of the business community,
Religious and community leaders present,

Comrades and friends,

We are gathered here to bid farewell to one of the most illustrious sons of our motherland South Africa. Our hearts are heavy because of this great loss. But we are also here to celebrate a life well led. A life that is replete with many lessons

On behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa, I convey my deepest sympathies to the family of Tito Titus Mboweni on the loss of their father, brother and uncle.

I convey my sympathies to the leadership and the membership of the African National Congress – a movement he served with integrity, in exile, during the journey to democracy and beyond.

We have lost a respected leader, friend, comrade, teacher, mentor and compatriot.

He was known by many names to many different people:

Comrade Tito, Uncle Tito, Gov8, erstwhile National Breadwinner, unpaid impresario for Lucky Star, The Duke of Magoebaskloof.

He was larger than life because he led such a big life and touched the lives of many people.

He fraternised with heads of states and government such as Presidents and Prime Ministers.

He was on first name terms with central bankers around the world.

He was respected by leading economists, titans of business, labour leaders and ordinary people in our country.

Yet despite his stature and profile, he never lost the common touch. He had a gift to connect to people. He understood them and he had a way to make people feel special and made them have a sense that they mattered. 

Governor 8 could relate to people from all walks of life. He was an empathetic man. He valued character over pedigree. And he was no cynic. He looked for the good in each person – and usually found it. 

Tito taught us that public service is noble and necessary; that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values, like faith and family. He strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. He recognised that serving others enriched the servant’s soul. To me he was the shining star that shined brightest in a maze of a dark period in the life of our country we called state capture. 

He had already left public service when i knocked on his door asking him if he would return to public service as Minister of Finance. 

I just said Cde Tito your country needs you to do another tour of service. 

He agonised about giving up the material value he was building for himself and his family. But after a while he came through for the people of South Africa and agreed to serve as Minister of Finance. 

Tito was a true patriot.

Memory and truth are great virtues. The memories that people have shared of Cde Tito over the last few days tell us much about his personality and the relationships that he formed.

Some of the finest tributes have come from our nation’s journalists.

We hear of a senior Minister who was always accessible, who pored over every detail in their stories, and who challenged and sparred with them.

We remember how he would dramatically bring a potted Aloe Ferox plant to his Budget speeches to illustrate his approach to fiscal discipline.

Through the Aloe Ferox he sought to illustrate that like our country, the Aloe Ferox survives and thrives when times are tough.

We continue to admire how he always sought to demystify matters of the economy for our citizens.

He insisted that government must communicate with the people on how the economic decisions we take impact their lives.

We will remember his aversion to a flashy lifestyle.

Tito Mboweni wasn’t just incorruptible.

He wasn’t just an avowed enemy of corruption throughout his life in public office.

In time we will look back at those social media posts of Tito defending his infamous brown shoes that had seen better days.

We may then read what was perhaps the deeper, intended meaning:

That when you hold public office, when you are entrusted with leadership, you must be of the people. Not standing above them, not looking down on them.

For Tito, when you hold public office, perception matters.

Tito’s endearing self-deprecation, affability and humility belied an illustrious career.

His remarkable life spans the history of our democratic journey.

He was an activist in the struggle against apartheid.

He played a formative role in the development of the ANC’s economic policy as it prepared to govern.

As the first Minister of Labour of our democratic government, he oversaw the construction of a new labour regime that would reflect the values of a democratic constitution.

During his tenure, groundbreaking labour laws were passed.

He introduced legislation on collective bargaining, basic conditions of employment, labour relations, health and safety, and employment equity that have served our country well over nearly three decades.

These laws fundamentally transformed the labour relations landscape.

They restored dignity to the workers of this country that had been denied them for centuries.

He was the first black governor of the South African Reserve Bank.

He oversaw the modernisation of the Bank.

He introduced inflation targeting and convened the bank’s first monetary policy committee meetings.

To keep the citizenry abreast on economic policy matters, he introduced a televised monetary policy statement.

Later, as Minister of Finance, he undertook one of the most difficult of roles.

It requires someone of mettle.

It requires an ability to take difficult decisions and to withstand extreme pressure.

In a country such as ours, it also requires someone with a keen understanding of the imperatives of development, social transformation and redress.

All of which must at the same time be matched by pragmatism.

He often had to tell his cabinet colleagues that there was no money for their ambitious plans.

As National Breadwinner, it was up to Tito to put things plainly.

As a country, we are better off for his steadfastness and resilience.

He championed economic transformation, just as he championed fiscal discipline and evidence-based policymaking.

Through his leadership, the National Treasury steered our economy through an extremely difficult period.

He became Minister of Finance when the country was emerging from the era of state capture and as the country had to confront a devastating global pandemic.

With him at the helm, the National Treasury set itself on a collaborative course with the rest of government to restore policy and regulatory certainty.

This would culminate in the establishment of Operation Vulindlela, a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury to speed up the structural reform process.

Since it was established, the reforms driven through Operation Vulindlela have made considerable headway towards resolving challenges in our economy.

What many will remember but perhaps others do not know, is that Tito was instrumental in developing the strategy underpinning the reforms we needed to embark upon in the network industries

His insights and initiatives continue to have a very real, material impact on our economy and on the lives of South Africans.

It is gratifying that Tito got to see the impact of his hard work during his lifetime.

He got to see how the lives and conditions of workers were improved.

He was able to see how safeguarding the independence and mandate of the South African Reserve Bank works. 

He was able to see how reinforcing prudent and transformational fiscal policy is beneficial to a country.

On initiating far-reaching structural reforms.

The Bureau of Economic Research, which Tito often collaborated with, has said it is difficult to think of any other economic policymaker who has left such an enduring legacy.

Tito was particularly popular with the younger generation.

Who, but Uncle Tito, could have a chart-topping rap song titled with his name?

Who, but the Duke of Magoebaskloof, could share tips with 1.5 million followers on the best curry powder to cook a chicken with and impart economic education at the same time?

Our younger generation, many of his social media followers, have a delightful phrase: understanding the assignment.

Loosely deciphered it means knowing what must be done and doing it well. 

Cde Tito and I shared a deep passion for trout fly fishing and would spend time talking about the skill of casting a line to catch a brown trout and compare that to prudent macro-economic policy management. 

I kept fearing that on Budget Day we would bring a dead trout fish to the National Assembly and talk about it.

To the Mboweni family, you are all having to deal with the raw heartache from his death, but we want you to know that we are all feeling the pain together with you. 

Tito’s departure has left a void in our hearts. 

Comrade Tito, you understood the assignment. 

As we bid you farewell my brother, my comrade, my fellow fly fisherman, your legacy is of a successful transformation from a freedom fighter to a businessman, central banker and politician.

You were a true servant leader, admired and loved by the people.

You delivered on what was required of you. 

You acquitted yourself with dignity and with honour in the ANC, in government and beyond.

You depart this world with that dignity, that honour and that reputation intact.

You did not disgrace or betray your movement or the people of this country.

You were a credit and an asset to both.

This is the most we can hope for as leaders. This is the highest we should aspire to.

Like Tito, we should strive to be true servant leaders.

We should each aspire to do everything that our country asks of us.

Fare well, Mkonto. Rest in eternal peace.

I thank you.