The first black central bank governor of South Africa, who later went on to become finance minister, has died at the age of 65.

Tito Mboweni had suffered a “short illness”, the presidency confirmed on Saturday evening, without specifying further.

“We have lost a leader and compatriot who has served our nation as an activist, economic policy innovator and champion of labour rights,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

Mbwoeni’s family said they were “devastated” and that he had died in a hospital in Johannesburg “surrounded by his loved ones”.

A former anti-apartheid activist, Mboweni spent almost a decade in exile in Lesotho where he attended university.

Source:BBC