WATCH | Mabuza’s daughter says court circus a disgrace

“We have let down our father [late deputy president David Mabuza] and disappointed him with this matter. He kept his family life private. He would not have done things this way.”

These are the words of one of Mabuza’s daughters shortly after the Mpumalanga High Court granted an interdict against the administering of his R44m pension payout.

Lindeni Mabuza said she had been supporting her sister Tamara Silinda in her bid to stop the payout to Mabuza’s wife Nonhlanhla Mnisi, who was named the beneficiary. Silinda and her mother Emunah submitted a document from the department of home affairs that showed the 64-year-old Mabuza was not married at the time of his death on July 3.

Emunah said she was Mabuza’s widow, as they were married under customary law in 1999, and while they were separated at the time of his death, they never divorced. Judge Johannes Roelofse said a proper investigation of the dependents of the deceased must be conducted.

“We had no choice because Alexforbes consulted our younger sister when dealing with the claim, someone who did not know much about our father’s children,” said Lindeni.

“Hence I had to write to Alexforbes, asking how they are dealing with the claim and I wanted to find out who was involved and who was not.

“Our father would have wanted us to sit down as a family and talk instead of parading here in court. We are happy with the judgment because our sister Tamara would have been left out. From here, we believe Alexforbes will seek to find Dabede’s [Mabuza] dependents. We are dealing with children from different mothers.”

Silinda’s legal representative advocate Doctor Sibuyi told the court that Lindeni wrote to Alexforbes, wanting to know the beneficiaries of their father’s policy.

Roelofse said: “The court grants the application, to be stayed [pay out] until proper investigation of the dependents of the deceased. As the defendant [Silinda] stated, people who depended on the deceased should not be thrown onto the streets; life should continue as normal.

“In my career as a judge I have seen how these cases destroy families, causing more pain, which might not be the wish of the deceased. I would like to plead with the Mabuza family to talk to each other and find common ground.”

Sibuyi said he was happy that justice has prevailed. “Having worked with Mabuza, he would have loved that his children be left with something to survive.”

Mabuza’s sister Zandile welcomed the judgment but said Mabuza let his children down.

“My brother supported his children and, as aunts, we wish to see all of them well. Some of his children are not working, some are renting and he used to pay for all that. Tarama is in school in Cape Town. I feel like my brother let down his children, he should have done things as he was always doing. He cared for them,” said Zandile.

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