MARTIN KINGSTON: Tito Mboweni — my best man in every sense of the word

I first met Tito Mboweni in the 1980s when he was studying for his master’s at the University of East Anglia.

That period, in part, whetted his appetite for the country, mirrored by the damp and overcast skies that he enjoyed as the Duke of the Duchy of Magoebaskloof, but also informed a real appreciation of the juxtaposition of economic theory, the need to uplift the impoverished and the role that the international order played in shaping events wherever he lived and worked.

About 25 years later I was with him, along with his “adopted parents” who cared for him when he was doing his master’s, for his receipt of an honorary doctorate in civil law at his alma mater awarded in 2011, an honour he carried with great pride.

Over the intervening decades, I followed his progress through the many roles he held in the public and private sector (including as minister of labour, governor of the Reserve Bank, minister of finance, chair of Anglo Gold Ashanti), and experienced and benefited from the inspirational and charismatic manner in which he applied his mind and set forth his views.

In many respects uncompromising in his decisions after having consulted, listened and debated, he was forthright, thoughtful, humorous, steadfast and, at all times, unswervingly committed to the cause of establishing robust institutions, insisting on flawless governance, transparent and regular reporting and accountability, and driven to deliver.

When in 2020 we were confronted by the seemingly existential challenges of the pandemic, as minister of finance he ensured that we were flexible and pragmatic despite being consistently focused on fiscal prudence. We had just been downgraded to subinvestment grade status and had entered a recession, so our options were extremely limited. Nevertheless, we relentlessly explored mechanisms to alleviate hardship and provide stimulus, using the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) as a primary forum for engagement — an institution that owes its very existence to Mboweni and his colleagues and advisers when he was the minister of labour. He acknowledged and, in many cases, spearheaded the need to compact and align with social partners on critical economic issues.

As the pandemic broke, we established the Solidarity Fund — a unique example of social collaboration which galvanised stakeholders across society to contribute their skills and resources in the quest to save lives and livelihoods. We sought and acknowledged all donations regardless of size. Mboweni was one of the first directors to be appointed. Everyone worked tirelessly to ensure that it would fulfil its mandate as quickly as possible. We had many board meetings, with the time set by Mboweni after the working day was concluded so that he could dial in and share his views from the veranda or study at his farm.

He challenged and guided us, not only from his vantage point at the Solidarity Fund but also when Business 4 SA (B4SA) partnered with the government (the presidency, National Treasury and the department of health) in the design, development and operationalisation of the vaccination rollout programme. We were steadfast as a business that the government needed to come to the party and Mboweni ensured that it did.

Much of this collaboration and focus on removing impediments to sustainable, inclusive economic growth led to the creation of Operation Vulindlela and the subsequent associated partnership between the government and business, addressing key areas that either constrain or will enable the right environment for the private sector to maximise its contribution to meaningful growth. Mboweni was a leading proponent of that work and relentlessly articulated the need to drive and report on progress.

There is no doubt that we have much to thank him for as he inspired, cajoled, counselled and directed us on how to address flaws which he called out without fear or favour, stay the course and plan for the future.

He was a man of his word — resolute, steadfastly loyal, to his beliefs his country and compatriots, to his family and his friends. And it’s as a friend and source of support that I will remember him most dearly. He was my best man when I married in 1999. He took great pleasure in providing unsolicited advice on relationships, friendship and family and what some would consider was a sometimes staid and Victorian view of what was right and wrong. His values were manifest in his honesty, integrity and, ultimately, his care and compassion.

I shall miss his companionship, comparing notes on the joys and tribulations of fatherhood (whether our children were toddlers or adults), his wisdom and strongly held views on all aspects of life and his many idiosyncrasies that made him the man we respected and loved.

He leaves us with an extraordinary legacy as a fighter not only for freedom but also for the truth and as an architect of much of SA’s economic potential.

• Kingston chairs the B4SA steering committee.