#RIPTitoMboweni: South Africa Pays Tribute to the Former Finance Minister and “Garlic King”
On the 12th of October 2024, South Africa was rocked by the tragedy of the sudden and rather unexpected passing of former Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni. The departed public servant who served under the Finance Ministry from 2018 to 2021 took his last breath at the age of 65 after a short illness.
Mboweni, before being appointed for the top position in the Ministry of Finance by reigning head of state Cyril Ramaphosa, served as the eighth Govenor of the South African Reserve Bank. His appointment was an epoch-making moment, as it saw him become the first Black South African after succeeding Chris Stals in 1999.
Tito Mboweni | SUPPLIED
Tito, from tributes pouring in, was known and best remembered for his honour, honesty, and simplicity which cast him in a favorable light to both his colleagues in the political world and to the masses he served with diligence.
While the unfortunate news attracted condolences from prominent names in the political space, the Tzaneen-born politico has been getting heaps of tributes from the general public for his former status as an active member of X. There, he not only showcased his skills with the pots and the stove but also built his reputation as a down-to-earth magnate who took his time to engage with those who mentioned him for one reason or another.
Fondly remembered as the “Garlic King”, Mboweni was particularly known for posting pictures of the homely cuisine specially prepared by him with high levels of garlic and tinned fish such as pilchards in tomato sauce.
A post on X by Tito Mboweni preparing Sunday dinner:
Scores of users on X took to the platform to pay their final respects to Tito Mboweni with the hashtag #RIPTitoMboweni. From sharing archive-worthy pictures of Tito’s cooking to posts about bank notes with his signature on them, X netizens had nothing but admiration for Mboweni, who most saw as one of their own rather than a civil servant.
@WaNkwatisa said: “Tito Mboweni bothered no one man. He smoked his zol, abused garlic, loved his tin fish and old shoes, spoke with his posh accent, loved Rwanda and Lesotho. He didn’t care that he had the country’s bank acc pin code, he’d drive from Limpopo to Killarney one man.”
@DDT_PM posted: “I still cannot believe that our Twitter Chef, Tito Mboweni, has passed away at only 65. Some people just deserve to live longer. I honestly didn’t see this one coming. May his soul rest in eternal peace. #RIPTitoMboweni.”
@CheddarEveryday posted pictures of old South African bank notes, designed with Mboweni’s signature, with the caption: “Your notes carried a lot of weight #RIPTitoMboweni.”