‘The fiscal framework is sacrosanct’ – Mboweni speaks tough on govt spending Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is trying to avoid the country being swept up into a debt spiral from the headwinds of low economic growth, a revenue shortfall, and high debt and interest costs. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivers his Budget speech in Parliament on 24 February 2021. Picture: GCIS. one hour ago CAPE TOWN – Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has made it clear that he will not bend on curbing government spending, saying departments would have to find money within their own budgets for whatever they needed. Mboweni is trying to avoid the country being swept up into a debt spiral from the headwinds of low economic growth, a revenue shortfall and high debt, and interest costs.