Mboweni isn’t impressed with only getting one birthday present: a whisky valued at R4k

His birthday may have come and gone, but receiving only one present continues to sting Tito Mboweni’s heart.

The former finance minister celebrated his birthday last week, and some of his 1.2-million Twitter followers and former colleagues flooded his page with celebratory messages.

However, according to Mboweni, from the “many friends” he has, he received only one birthday present.

He shared that he received a 2021 Macallan Rare Cask bottle of whisky.

According to the Macallan website, the 2021 release is valued at about £240, or R4,708.

“Let all those who want to investigate know this is the only birthday present I received. All my friends forgot to send presents. So many friends, one gift,” exclaimed Mboweni.

What makes the whisky rare? It is crafted to showcase complexity and depth, with some casks so rare they are never used again in any other Macallan.

“This relationship between cask and craftsman, spirit and skill, ultimately give us Rare Cask. With rarity at its core, this is a whisky that will slightly differ in makeup from bottling to bottling,” the creators claim.

Reacting to Mboweni’s gift, some joked that he should re-evaluate his friendships, while others said he should be appreciative, given the bottle was "not cheap”.

Here is a snapshot of some of the reactions: