Writer: Mbhazime Shilowa | Photograph: Supplied

Tito Mboweni did not suffer fools lightly but was always open to engaging in robust intellectual debates, as he did during the last lunch I had with him, when we discussed the form and content of the government of national unity, or lack thereof.

A few days after the first general elections, Nelson Mandela held a consultative meeting with leaders of the ANC-led tripartite alliance on his proposed Cabinet. Among his proposals was Jay Naidoo, the former COSATU general-secretary, as minister for labour. Based on observations of how former trade union leaders had been used to tone down the demands of workers in many African states post-liberation, the COSATU delegation politely proposed that Mandela appoint Naidoo as minister in the presidency responsible for the implementation of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), to which Mandela readily agreed. He then asked them to propose a name for minister of labour. They suggested Tito Mboweni, who was at the time deputy head of the ANC’s department of economic policy.

Mboweni had been working with some COSATU members on key post-election documents, notably Ready to Govern and the RDP. This turned out to be an inspired choice, as shown by the raft of transformative labour legislation introduced during his tenure. With a formidable team led by Sipho Pityana as director general, Mboweni engaged in consultations with organised labour and business on priority legislation to transform the labour market and address workers’ demands for progressive labour laws aligned with International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. As the Vatsonga would say, mintirho ya vulavula (actions speak louder than words). The results are evident in the following:

• The Labour Relations Act, encompassing collective bargaining, dispute resolution mechanisms through the CCMA, the right to strike, and the right to belong to a trade union of your choice.
• The Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
• The Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• The Health and Safety in Mines Act.
• The Skills Development Act.
• The Nedlac Act, which established a forum for engagement on social and economic policies between the government, business, labour, and community organisations.
• The Employment Equity Act.

The process was not without its challenges, including at least two general strikes before an agreement was reached to exclude the lockout clause, first from the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and later from the Constitution. While some colleagues wavered and were ready to concede to business demands for the inclusion of the lockout clause, Mboweni stood firm. At one point, he even threatened to resign as minister of labour unless the Cabinet backed the LRA.

One hallmark of leadership is the ability to assemble teams of experts to lead processes while providing strategic direction. Mboweni excelled at this, bringing together teams who understood the labour market and legislative frameworks, and seeking guidance from the ILO when necessary. This collaboration resulted in the creation of the CCMA, which one ILO leader described as key to any labour dispensation’s dispute resolution mechanism.

The first time I met Mboweni was after his return from exile, though I had heard of him from friends who attended Bankuna High School with him. A close family member was involved in his escape from South Africa. When we finally made each other’s acquaintance, I was deputy general-secretary of COSATU, and he was with the ANC’s economics department. We engaged in robust discussions with him and Max Sisulu about the country’s future economic policies after the 1994 general elections. Mboweni made positive contributions to COSATU’s early draft of what would later become the ANC’s RDP.

In the process, we formed a bond of friendship, characterised by mutual respect. Due to our busy schedules, we didn’t meet as often as we would have liked, and Mboweni was always difficult to pin down unless one ventured to Makgobaskloof. I often wondered if we were friends or just acquaintances. We eventually settled on what Vatsonga refer to as vamaseve, for which there is no English translation. In rural areas, vamaseve would share everything—from snuff and traditional beer to helping each other harvest nuts and attending festivities together.

I last saw Mboweni a few weeks ago when we had lunch at 1920 Portuguese restaurant in Johannesburg. We reminisced about the good old times, the ups and downs of life, and agreed to meet more often to break bread. Little did I know it would be our last lunch together.

Years ago, Mboweni would arrive at our home without notice, expecting vuswa na nyama ya huku (pap and chicken, often referred to as “hardbody”). Sometimes we wouldn’t even be home, and even when we were, it’s not like we always had chicken and pap ready. This was before he discovered his passion for Lucky Star tinned fish and his own cooking experiments, where various meats, chicken, and fish would “swim” in the Letaba River with garlic, tomatoes, onions, and who knows what else. Even those of us who grew up in the same region couldn’t help but laugh at his culinary creations. We could recognise the ingredients, but the final product? Not so much.

Yet, Mboweni fancied himself on par with world-class chefs like Paul Bocuse, Pierre Gagnaire, Joël Robuchon, and Albert Adrià of El Bulli. Before its closure, El Bulli, famed for its molecular gastronomy, required reservations up to a year in advance. Though initially derided for focusing more on sensory taste than presentation, the restaurant was beloved by its patrons. Perhaps Mboweni was on the verge of revolutionising cuisine himself—but sadly, he passed before sharing his creations with the world.

I’ve lost a friend with whom I often bantered. I would tease Mboweni about his dress sense, to which he’d reply, “Clothes don’t make the man.” Mboweni did not suffer fools lightly but was always open to intellectual debate, as he was during our last lunch when we discussed the form and content of the government of national unity.

Famba kahle seveni, maseve loyi a titlhomana mincila, hi dzahisana fole, hi siyerisana jomela ra mporosi, hi fayana mataya no khendlana tinhwala. Hi nkarhi wa xirimu hi khelerisana timanga na tindluwa. Hi tlanga swin’we mavhilwa no cina xiseveseve!

Rest in peace, Humani, Mbhuri ya Vacanyi.

*Mbhazima Shilowa is the former premier of Gauteng and former general-secretary of COSATU.