South Africa’s Former Deputy President Mabuza Passes Away
David Mabuza, the former deputy president of South Africa who played a significant role in elevating Cyril Ramaphosa to the presidency, has passed away, as announced by the presidency on Thursday.
At 64 years old, Mabuza served in the role of deputy president from 2018 until 2023 and was instrumental in securing Ramaphosa’s victory during the closely contested African National Congress (ANC) leadership election in 2017. The specific cause of his death has not yet been disclosed.
Following the 2017 election, allies of Ramaphosa within the ANC executive urged then-president Jacob Zuma, who was embroiled in various scandals, to resign. This move ultimately facilitated Ramaphosa’s ascent to head of state.
In a statement released by Ramaphosa’s office, it was noted that “the former deputy president merits our gratitude for his unwavering dedication to the liberation struggle and his contributions toward developing an inclusive, prosperous democracy for our nation.”
Recent reports from the South African Broadcasting Corporation indicated that Mabuza had been largely absent from public life due to health issues, although specifics regarding his condition were not provided.
Before entering politics as a schoolteacher and later serving as premier of Mpumalanga province, Mabuza faced persistent allegations—denied by him—related to irregular contracts associated with a stadium built for the 2010 World Cup and connections to political assassinations.
In media interviews, he claimed to have been poisoned in 2015 and referred to himself as “The Cat” due to his survival amidst what he characterized as politically motivated attacks.
