“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.  

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.

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 recognized 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.

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.

Fare well, Mkonto. Rest in eternal peace.” ~ wrote President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.   #RIPTitoMboweni