Lungisa Fuzile quits lucrative Treasury job to focus on his farm

Former Treasury director-general Lungisa Fuzile, who left his job last week following his former boss’ exit after the Cabinet reshuffle, told City Press the job was quite demanding and required him to be on his phone and on work mode 24/7. While he is deciding on his new role, he said he was looking forward to spending time with his family.

“I want to be a proper family man, go to my daughter’s things at school and go on holiday without the phone ringing,” he said.

Apparently Fuzile had tried to resign from his position late last month. His former boss, Pravin Gordan, was axed last week Thursday by the president.

Fuzile, who holds a master’s degree in commerce and two bachelor’s degrees, joined Treasury almost two decades ago as a deputy director for intergovernmental relations. He then took on the responsibility of managing assets and liability and was a respected figure on the global financial scene.

The former Treasury DG comes from a farming background. Both his parents used communal land to breed livestock to feed their extended family. He now looks after this farm as well as the one in Mqandule. He also owns Brahman cattle, Savannah goats and Merino sheep. It is evident Fuzile enjoys farming immensely.

“A good chat with him is one where he is wearing blue work overalls, carrying a stick and herding his sheep. He relaxes, laughs readily, and can have a long conversation,” former Business Day editor Songezo Zibi writes.

The pressure is now mounting on new Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, as people are keen to see who he will recruit. Should he decide to pick his crew from inside, he has the following options: head of economic policy Monale Ratsoma; budget office head Micheal Sachs; public finance management head Dondo Mogajane; head of asset and liability management Anthony Julies; and tax and finance sector policy head Ismal Momoniat.