Tito Mboweni resigning? Nah, he is 'firmly here'

Tito Mboweni has dismissed “rumours” that he is resigning from his post as finance minister.

Over the weekend, Mboweni alleged that people were spreading lies about him leaving office.

He hinted that “colleagues and comrades” were peddling stories to Sunday newspapers. However, there have been no reports about Mboweni's departure.

Speaking in Tsonga, Mboweni said the people who wanted him out are ''farting”.

“There are people, your own colleagues and comrades, who peddle stories to Sunday papers. Tito this, Tito that. He is resigning etc, etc! Va tamba! I am firmly here,” said Mboweni.

Mboweni's alleged “betrayal” by colleagues comes after he hinted that during his 40-year political career, there were people who have not been “nice” to him.

He revealed this during a question-and-answer session with his Twitter followers last week, in which he vowed to answer any questions.

Asked about the cardinal lessons he had learnt in politics, Mboweni said “never be nice to people who are 'un-nice' to you.

“Confront them, head to head, cheek to cheek, fist for fist, tongue to tongue. Don’t turn the other cheek, like they say in the Holy Book. No. Defend your space,” Mboweni said.

Addressing SA's R500bn Covid-19 relief fund and what happened to the money, Mboweni said the money went into various components, insisting it has not been “eaten”

He promised he would soon release a detailed statement on the matter.

“The R500bn announcement has many components. Of this, R200bn is the National Credit Guarantee Scheme and the rest is about social relief of distress, the Unemployment Insurance Fund and so on. It has not been eaten,” he said.

Lat month, TimesLIVE reported that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) would prioritise all allegations of fraud and corruption related to the R500bn government had allocated to ease the impact of Covid-19.

More than 20 allegations of serious maladministration, fraud and corruption have been reported to the unit.

Does Mboweni smoke weed? 

“No, I don't,” said the finance minister, “but I tried it in 1967. Did not like it. Maybe I should try again. They grow nicely here at the farm,” he said.

TimesLIVE