The Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (COSATU) Parliamentary Co-ordinator Matthew Parks says former Finance Minister and Reserve Bank Governor, Tito Mboweni’s love for Tzaneen in Limpopo demonstrated the need to integrate and develop rural communities in the agenda to grow the country’s economy.
Mboweni died last night at the age of 65.
He was democratic South Africa’s first Labour Minister from 1994 to 1999 in the cabinet of the late former President Nelson Mandela.
Parks says Mboweni’s showcasing of Magoebaskloof on his social media accounts promoted tourism in his rural town.
He says, “Whenever anybody would visit Tzaneen, he would make sure they have coffee with him in Magoebaskloof and I think he mixed his lecturing of the nation with also a bit of a very proud tourism for Magoebaskloof and Tzaneen.”
Parks adds, “It’s also a good example because many ministers leave the rural communities but they don’t go back afterwards and Tito unashamedly couldn’t wait to get back to Tzaneen and even when he was Minister of Finance, he spent as many hours as he could in Tzaneen and I think that’s a positive thing.”
“You know South Africa is not just about the cities but it’s also about rural communities and if we are to grow the country then we need to make sure that we invest more in our rural towns and communities.”
VIDEO | Interview with Parks:
‘Selfless leader’
A man who works in the banking industry in Limpopo has described Mboweni as a selfless leader who played a significant role in the industry.
Lucky Mabugana says he used to interact with Mboweni in his work.
Mabugana elaborates, “He has passed on, firstly I want to say condolences to the family of Mboweni. Personally, I met and I saw Mr. Mboweni when he visited us in the bank at some point. I was so grateful to see him in person but other than that, Mboweni being the first governor in the government, being the first person who signed the money, it was very remarkable, we were so happy to see him signing or rather to have the money signed by the first black man that was cool, that was nice.”
“ He was a very good man, that’s why I’m saying I met him, I interacted with him at some point when he visits us at the bank right here in Tzaneen.”- Additional reporting by Avhapfani Munyai.
VIDEO| Dr Pali Lehohla says ‘the Duke of Mogoebaskloof’ was a steadfast leader:
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