OBITUARY | David Mabuza dedicated his life to serving the people of SA, ANC says

The ANC has paid tribute to former deputy president David Dabede Mabuza, who died on Thursday, aged 64.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said Mabuza had dedicated his life to the service of the people of South Africa.

“From his days in the struggle against apartheid to his leadership as premier of Mpumalanga and later as deputy president, he was a committed cadre who carried the values of unity, discipline, and transformation,” Mbalula said.

Mabuza, the country's deputy president between February 2018 and March 2023, died at a hospital in Mpumalanga after a prolonged illness.

Mabuza was born at Phola Trust in Mpumalanga on August 25 1960. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of South Africa in 1989, after his achievement of a National Teacher’s Certificate from Mgwenya College of Education in 1985, according to the presidency.

Mabuza was a trained mathematics teacher and became a school principal before moving to politics.

Mabuza held a number of positions in government including Mpumalanga MEC for education between 1994 and 1998, housing MEC between 1999 and 2001, as an MP between 2001 and 2004, Mpumalanga MPL from 2004 to 2007, MEC for roads and transport between 2007 and 2007 and Mpumalanga premier from 2009 to 2018.

The presidency said Mabuza rose through the ranks of the ANC, having been elected as:

• the chairperson of the ANC in Mpumalanga from 2008 to 2017;
• ex officio member of the national executive committee (NEC) of the ANC since 2007;
• deputy chairperson of the ANC Mpumalanga in 2005;
• chairperson of the South African Democratic Teachers Union from 1988 to 1991;
• coordinator of the National Education Crisis Committee from 1987 to 1989;
• chairperson of National Education Union of South Africa from 1986 to 1988;
• treasurer of Foundation for Education with Production from 1986 to 1990; and
• secretary of the Azanian Student Organisation from 1984 to 1985.

President Cyril Ramaphosa had tasked Mabuza, during the 2019 to 2024 term of government, with a number of responsibilities.

These included being leader of government business in parliament, leading government efforts to fast-track land reform and the coordination of government programmes to accelerate land reform and agricultural support and assisting the president to stimulate and support rural and township economies through implementing empowerment models.

Mabuza was also tasked with assisting the president in the implementation of rapid response interventions on service delivery and troubleshooting in service delivery hotspots and coordinating anti-poverty initiatives through, among others, public employment programmes, integrated service delivery and enterprise development.

He was also tasked with leading the South African National Aids Council and the country's integrated response to the challenges of HIV and Aids.

When Mabuza resigned as an MP in March 2023, thereby ending his term as deputy president of the country, Ramaphosa said Mabuza had undertaken the responsibilities of his office with dedication.

“I am grateful for the support he has provided to me throughout his term and for the leadership he has provided to the work of government,” Ramaphosa said in March 2023.

Ramaphosa said Mabuza's contribution had been valued by the many constituencies with which he has engaged, including traditional leaders, military veterans, civil society formations and international bodies.

“As leader of government business, he has ably managed the relationship between the executive and parliament, working to ensure that the transformative legislative programme of this administration is advanced,” Ramaphosa said at the time.

There had been concerns about Mabuza's health during his term as deputy president. In June 2021, the presidency released a statement that Mabuza had requested “a few days of leave” to travel to Russia for a medical consultation.

Mabuza ended up spending more than a month in Russia. 

TimesLIVE reported that critical events played out in the country during his absence, especially the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which saw more than 300 people lose their lives. Ramaphosa and his other ministers had to grapple with the unrest, which is said to have been planned internally by some ANC members, but Mabuza was not around to provide any assistance. 

In March 2021, Mabuza explained his low profile during the coronavirus pandemic, telling MPs he had an underlying health condition. He has previously received medical treatment in Russia at least twice before — in 2015 and 2018 — after he was allegedly poisoned during his time as Mpumalanga premier.