Former Minister of finance Tito Mboweni passed away after battling a short illness on his return from Zambia. It is alleged that the former minister came back from Zambia and told his family he was unwell.

Tito Mboweni, who was the first Black governor of the South African Reserve Bank was heralded by financial markets and business for keeping tight fiscal controls on the nation’s public spending.

He was 65. 

The former governor died after a “short illness,” the Office of the Presidency said late Saturday on the 12 October 2024

Mboweni served as central bank governor between 1999 and 2009 and as finance minister from October 2018 to August 2021. 

“We have lost a leader and compatriot who has served our nation as an activist, economic policy innovator and champion of labour rights,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

“As governor and finance minister, he had a sharp focus on fiscal discipline and economic transformation.”

Mboweni was appointed finance minister by Ramaphosa during his first term as leader of the country when the president pledged to combat corruption and rebuild confidence in an economy that was in the doldrums after nine years under former president Jacob Zuma. 

Mboweni previously served as South Africa’s labour minister in the country’s first democratic cabinet after the end of White minority rule in 1994.

A lot of people took to X formerly known as Twitter to express their heartfelt condolences to the minister of pilchard as he was famously known for his love for tin fish. He will be dearly missed