David Mabuza Obituary, South Africa: David Dabede Mabuza, the influential politician who rose from rural Mpumalanga to become South Africa’s deputy president, has died at the age of 64. His passing was announced by the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation, marking the end of a turbulent yet consequential public life.
Widely known by his initials “DD,” Mabuza was born on August 25, 1960, and began his professional career as a schoolteacher before finding his true calling in politics. His journey from local activist to one of South Africa’s most powerful figures reflected both the promise and the contradictions of the country’s post-apartheid era.
Mabuza’s influence within the African National Congress (ANC) grew steadily as he secured support across Mpumalanga, where he served as the party’s chairman and later the province’s premier beginning in 2009. His ability to consolidate grassroots backing was legendary. By enrolling tens of thousands of new members, he transformed himself into a decisive power broker on the national stage.
“David was a master strategist,” shared ANC veteran Mathole Motshekga. “He understood the importance of numbers and organization at a time when the movement was changing.”
His political career, however, was never free of controversy. Throughout his tenure as premier and later deputy president, Mabuza faced persistent allegations of corruption, tender manipulation, and intimidation of rivals. He repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and was never formally charged, though his reputation remained deeply polarizing.
Mabuza’s political instincts were most visible in the dramatic events of 2017. Initially an ally of then-president Jacob Zuma and a backer of Zuma’s favored successor, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, he stunned observers by switching his allegiance to Cyril Ramaphosa shortly before the ANC leadership vote. The decision proved decisive, securing Ramaphosa’s path to the presidency and earning Mabuza the second-highest office in the land.
When Ramaphosa was appointed president in February 2018 after Zuma’s forced resignation, he named Mabuza as deputy president. Yet despite the prominence of the role, Mabuza largely kept a low profile. He chaired the government’s “war room” to tackle South Africa’s chronic electricity shortages and led a panel on land reform—two of the country’s most pressing challenges.
His tenure was also marked by persistent health struggles. Mabuza claimed that in 2015, opponents tried to poison him at his birthday celebration, an incident that left him gravely ill and required treatment in both South Africa and Russia. His health issues continued in later years, leading to prolonged absences from public life, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By 2022, Mabuza’s political fortunes had shifted. His once-powerful coalition within the ANC fractured as his vacillating loyalties and controversies eroded support. In December of that year, he declined to stand for reelection as the party’s deputy president, effectively ending his national political career. Paul Mashatile soon succeeded him in the ANC leadership and as deputy president of the country.
Despite the contentious aspects of his legacy, Mabuza’s role as a key figure in South Africa’s democratic evolution is undeniable. His life was emblematic of a generation of leaders who navigated the complex terrain between liberation ideals and the realities of governing a diverse and unequal society.
He is survived by his wife, Patience Mnisi, whom he married in 2003.
As South Africa reflects on his life and career, many remember a man who combined ambition with an undeniable political acumen. In the words of a longtime colleague, “David Mabuza was a figure of enormous consequence—sometimes admired, sometimes feared, never ignored.”
