‘Where are your security people?’ − Tito Mboweni quizzed on VIP protection

Tito Mboweni has again lifted the lid on life outside of Cabinet, sharing how he was recently asked about VIP protection.

It’s been two years since Mboweni resigned as finance minister, and some still can’t believe he is without some of the perks of office.

Taking to social media at the weekend, Mboweni shared how someone who helped him find a departure gate at Cape Town International Airport asked about his security detail.

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“I don’t know his name. But as I was struggling to find my departure gate at the Cape Town airport, he assisted me. My eyes were failing me. ‘Where are your security people?’ My answer was: I don’t have. After you are done with your national duties, you are on your own, mate!”

While some claimed it would have been strange to see a former minister without protection, others said he was experiencing “the real life that is lived by millions of South Africans”.

From cooking to music: What Tito did next

The months after his resignation were filled with new adventures for Mboweni. He rejoined the board of Discovery and got a seat as an executive of SA Zijin Platinum, among other appointments.

Away from the boardroom, he continued to share his cooking disasters and delicacies online.

A lamb stew last year drew mixed reactions, and pressure for famous TV chef Siba Mtongana to intervene.

He also took up singing, serenading his followers with a rendition of The Wolfe Tones’ 1976 song Kevin Barry.

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The popular Irish rebel anthem details the death of Kevin Barry, a member of the Irish Republican Army who was hanged in November 1920. 

Spending your birthday alone

A life outside of high politics can sometimes be a lonely one, and Mboweni last year celebrated his 63rd birthday with only one gift.

“Let all those who want to know and investigate, know that this is the only birthday present I received. All my friends forgot to send presents! So many friends, one gift!” he wrote, next to a snap of a 2021 Macallan Rare Cask bottle of whisky.

The Macallan website lists the bottle at £240, or R5 686.