Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has expressed his sadness after the passing of his Chief of Staff, Percy Mthimkhulu.
The Minister’s Office on Tuesday confirmed the tragic and untimely passing of Mthimkhulu, who served as his Chief of Staff since 2021.
According to the Ministry, Mthimkhulu died peacefully in his sleep.
“Minister Godongwana offers his condolences, and those of the Ministry and the National Treasury, to the Mthimkhulu family,” the statement read.
As an undergraduate, Mthimkhulu was affectionately known as “Lenin” to his friends, as he took an active role in student politics.
He eventually rose to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the South African Students Congress (SASCO) in 1995 in the then Southern Transvaal region.
“Together with a sharp turn of phrase, he had a particular interest in financial matters and the transformation of the economy.”
The late Chief of Staff had a BCom Honours Degree under his name before qualifying with an MPhil in Development Finance from the University of Stellenbosch Business School in 2022.
“He pursued his passion for economics, media studies and politics throughout his life right up to the highest levels.”
According to the statement, Mthimkhulu began his professional career at the Financial Mail and Business Day in 1998, as a graduate trainee and then a full-time writer.
This is where he honed his understanding and analysis of the South African media and economic landscape before he was promoted to senior editor before switching to a career in public service in 2002.
In government, he started as a speech writer in the Office of the Premier in the North West and then a media liaison officer in the Gauteng Department of Finance and Economic Affairs.
Between 2008 and 2009, he served as the spokesperson for the Premier of Gauteng.
From 2010 to 2013, he was a media liaison in the Department of Arts and Culture and was appointed chief speechwriter for the Gauteng Premier from 2014 to 2019.
He joined the Ministry of Finance as Chief of Staff in August 2021.
“Politics and the desire to see the country’s economy transformed for the benefit of all South Africans never left his blood.”
Mthimkhulu was also a member of the technical team supporting the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee subcommittee on Economic Transformation.
He was also involved in the party’s COVID-19 Economic Reconstruction document, the South African Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Plan and the South African Tourism Recovery Plan.
“As a proud South African, he never hid from his responsibility nor turned his back on the needs of our people. Mr Mthimkhulu has been a key part of the brain trust in the Ministry of Finance and National Treasury during very difficult economic times,” the Ministry said.
“May his soul rest in peace and his memory live long.” – SAnews.gov.za
