Mbeki echoes sentiments that Mboweni died unhappy about the state of ANC, SA

JOHANNESBURG - Former President Thabo Mbeki has echoed sentiments expressed at former Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's funeral that he died an unhappy man.

Mbeki, who was seemingly snubbed from delivering his tribute to Mboweni, has made public his speech in which he claims the late minister was unhappy about the state of the African National Congress (ANC) and the country.

Similar sentiments were expressed at the funeral by Mboweni’s long-time friend and former ANC national executive committee member, Ngoako Ramatlhodi.

Had Mbeki been granted an opportunity to pay tribute to Mboweni, this is what he would have said: "All of us throughout the ranks of the African National Congress are very proud that many decades ago, the young Tito decided to join the people's movement."

However, he’s now turned the speech, which couldn’t be delivered due to what he believes to have been a snub, into a public address.

Mbeki said his were sentiments similar to those expressed by Ramatlhodi last week.

"He died a very unhappy comrade. We used to spend a lot of time discussing issues facing the movement and our country, in particular the fate of the national democratic revolution," Ramatlhodi said.

Little is publicly known about Mboweni’s views on the ANC's decision to go to bed with parties on the opposition benches.

In August, during his last interview on 702, Mboweni said he was cautiously optimistic about the country’s unprecedented, new political landscape.