Mitchell House Legacy Foundation launch with Tito Mboweni

Working towards building a legacy for generations to come is the only way of ensuring the future of South Africa, no matter how bad things may get politically or economically.
This was the core message that former Reserve Bank Governor and respected economist, Tito Mboweni delivered at the launch of the Mitchell House Legacy Foundation ath Protea Hotel Ranch Resort on Friday.
The foundation was launched with a dinner in the 1920s style, complete with jazz band and guest gussied up in their best flapper and dandy outfits. Also in attendance were Engenas Lekganyane, Bishop of the Zionist Christian Church, and Health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba. The Master of Ceremonies was Limpopo Gambling Board CEO, Serobi Maja.
Headmaster Andrew Cook opened the event with a prayer and thanked the generous sponsors who have already invested in Mitchell House’s learners.
Maylene Broderick, Chairperson of the Board of Governors welcomed guests and said those who choose to invest in the Legacy Foundation are investing in the future. “Allow us to be more by helping us to provide the best possible legacy for our children and their children,” she said.
Mabowa Makhomisane, a local medical practitioner, Chairperson of the Legacy Foundation and Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Governors said Oliver Tambo’s birthday is on 27 October and that it was only fitting that the Legacy Foundation would be launched the very next day as Tambo was committed to South Africa’s future.
Broderick formally introduced Mboweni and guests gave him a standing ovation as he stepped onto the stage.
Mboweni referred to the recent spate of protests that hit South Africa, especially among young people. “I can’t help but think that what these young people really want to tell us is that we, as the older generations have failed them,” he said.
He spoke boldly and said people were frustrated by the situation in the country and would therefore look for reasons to protest, even if those reasons were sometimes unreasonable. “I learnt from Thabo Mbeki to always look for the root of a problem before trying to solve it. We need to find the root of the problem to understand the growing number of violent protests.”
Mboweni said he believed that the consensus that was reached at Codesa and written into law has run its course because the political and economic elite lost the trust, confidence and respect of the people. This, he said, was due to poor leadership and unanswered questions.
He criticised the current government and said leaders were not willing to truly engage with the population and only paid lip service when it came to really listening to the people.
Then he put the Mitchell House Legacy Fund in juxtaposition with the political and economic climate and said it was a pleasure to be a part of something so positive. “No matter how bad things are, we are still building a legacy here. Nobody can accuse us of negativity if we are working to ensure a future for our children and ask others to join us.”

Story and photos: MARKI FRANKEN
>>marki.observer@gmail.com

Featured photo: Mitchell House dignitaries welcome former Reserve Bank Governor, Tito Mboweni, fifth from left, to the legacy Foundation launch. They are Ziyad Sonpra, member of the Board of Governors, Safiya Sonpra, Chairperson of the Parents’ Association,  Mabowa Makhomisane, Chairperson of the Legacy Foundation and Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Maylene Broderick, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Andrew Cook, Headmaster, and Tshidiso Motumi, member of the Board of Governors.