Tito Mboweni’s loved ones call on South Africans to follow in his footsteps

TZANEEN - Former finance minister Tito Mboweni's friends and family have called on South Africans to follow in his footsteps.

The 65-year-old was remembered in a category two special official funeral in Limpopo on Saturday.

He died a week ago following a short illness.

Mboweni’s friends and family, as well as the political and business fraternity, gathered in the province to bid farewell to the former finance minister and South African Reserve Bank (SARB) governor.

Former CEO of Goldman Sachs for Sub-Saharan Africa Colin Coleman delivered a tribute at Mboweni’s funeral.

He said Mboweni’s honesty, humility, and good governance should be a template for South Africans.

"Sharply in focus is a universally acclaimed and loved person who embodied the spirit of non-racialism and social democracy – a spirit South Africa now desperately needs to rediscover and embrace once again to honour his memory."

MBOWENI AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Deputy Minister of Communications Mondli Gungubele said Mboweni was ahead of the curve in several aspects.

Gungubele was among the mourners who attended Mboweni’s funeral.

The deputy minister said Mboweni was critical of government inefficiencies.

“He was cynical about the slow speed in actually adopting technology, and at times he was very much intolerant about the slow speed.”

Among his many calls for reform, Gungubele said Mboweni wanted government to digitise its systems to keep up with global best practices.

“We’ll always remember him for that – that he wanted South Africa to be a reputable global participant.”