‘Don’t let the tin fish confuse you, Tito Mboweni had style,’ says Malema [WATCH]

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema paid tribute to former finance minister Tito Mboweni, who was laid to rest at Nkowankowa, Limpopo, on Saturday.

The former minister died last week at the age of 65, following a short illness.

Political leaders, including Julius Malema, were in attendance, where the EFF leader described Mboweni as a man of style.

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Known for his questionable meals, including his late-night tin fish dishes, Mboweni kept social media users entertained. Many even tried to offer him cooking tips, but to no avail.

Malema: ‘Mboweni had style’

However, Malema said South Africans shouldn’t be fooled by Mboweni’s love for tin fish, as he also appreciated fine food.

“I always avoided going there [Magoebaskloof] because I did not want to eat tin fish. But he was very strong about the land issue and agriculture. You would find him seated alone with a red glass of wine, he knew what must be paired with what. Don’t get the tin fish confusing you, he had style, he knew nice food,” said Malema.

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“He knew proper wine and he could speak about it in such a way that you would even be tempted to drink wine, that time you’re drinking Corona. That’s a problem, that’s how persuasive he was. He was a darling and a gentleman, someone you always looked forward to meeting. You knew you were always going to have an informed conversation.”

‘Ordinary person’

Though a prominent figure in politics, Malema noted that Mboweni preferred living like an ordinary person.

“He would just leave Magoebaskloof, go to Nkowankowa, find a woman selling food on the street, sit there alone and eat the food. He would interact in an ordinary manner with the people of Tzaneen. He’s the kind that used to go out a lot and he didn’t mind to go out alone.”

Mboweni was also not one to hold grudges either, said Malema.

“He was a good human being, embraced everyone, especially some of us who come from this province. He never forgot that we’re his homeboys. When something wrong happens he would make a phone call, even when good things happened,” said Malema.

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“He was easy to talk to, when the debate was over, you remained friends without any hostility so there was no way we would not come and bid farewell to a person who was a gentleman.”