Duduzane Zuma 'feels betrayed' by David Mabuza, 'who is not taking my calls'

29 October 2020 - 14:52 By naledi shange
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Duduzane Zuma says he misses David Mabuza and wonders what happened to their relationship, which was 'like father and son'.
Duduzane Zuma says he misses David Mabuza and wonders what happened to their relationship, which was 'like father and son'.
Image: ALON SKUY

The son of former president Jacob Zuma still feels betrayed by Deputy President David Mabuza, who he alleges has been giving him the cold shoulder after he “saved his life”.

Duduzane Zuma revealed several months ago that back in 2015, he had come to the aid of Mabuza, even flying him to Russia for medical treatment after he was poisoned. He said he was puzzled as to why they their relationship took a turn after that.

Mabuza, he said, was no longer taking his calls.

“From my side, I most definitely do [feel betrayed]. He is someone that I looked up to. He has been an elder to a lot of us. I have taken the relationship as him being a father to me and there’s a lot of questionable things that have happened and, as a man, I can’t accept it,” Duduzane said.

“People may look at it the way they look at it, but that’s not the way things go. He’s got his views and I’ve got my views,” he added.

The businessman was being interviewed on Newzroom Afrika on Thursday morning, where besides his soured relationship with Mabuza he spoke of his business interests in Dubai and his aspirations to rise in the ranks of the ANC.

Zuma said the last time he caught a glimpse of Mabuza was at the ANC’s January 8 celebrations, although they did not get a chance to speak.

“Wherever you are at, give me a call. I miss you,” Zuma said with a chuckle, directed at Mabuza.

On the YouTube show titled Zooming with the Zumas, the businessman said while in Russia, he had cared for Mabuza.

“I was the minder. I was pushing him everywhere. I was carrying him and removing his shoes, sometimes having to undress him because he was not in a great state,” Duduzane said.

“It was a touch and go for the now deputy president and for the whole time he was grateful to myself and yourself [former president Jacob Zuma] for whatever reason. I stayed with him for about five days. His medical programme was going to continue for a few weeks. The trip, from when we left up until we got back, very few people knew. The general person did not know where he was.”

Zuma said Mabuza returned to SA and spent a few days recovering at one of the Gupta houses in Saxonwold, Johannesburg.

Asked about whether he feels it was inappropriate to have made public information of Mabuza about a time when he was at his weakest, Zuma’s response suggested he had no regrets in doing it.

He said this had been an attempt on Mabuza's life and exposing it had shown the history of political killings in the country.

“I think it was the best thing that could have happened and the reason I say that is we have issues now and, before the deputy president, my father was poisoned. I did the exact same thing. I flew with him and sought medical treatment for the exact same reason,” he replied.

“Besides that, there have been political killings with people being gunned down and wheels that have been loosened on cars. This is an issue that exists and it has been brought to the fore. So he hasn’t spoken about it but I am speaking about it from my experience,” Zuma added.

At the time Duduzane made the startling allegations, Mabuza's office chose to not respond.

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