Picture: The late Deputy Preisdent, David Mabuza/Twitter
By OBAKENG MAJE
13 July 2025- The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said the late Deputy President, David Dabede Mabuza made a huge contribution on the journey to a democratic South Africa in many ways. Ramaphosa said Mabuza was a servant of the people and that for which he will be best known and forever remembered for.
He further said DD as he Mabuza was fondly known, was a revered leader not only in his home province of Mpumalanga but throughout the country as well. Ramaphosa added that DD served as the country’s Deputy President, as Premier of Mpumalanga and as the Deputy President of his movement, the African National Congress (ANC).
“When he served as a Member of Parliament (MP) and as the Leader of Government Business, he proved to be a renowned political strategist, always deftly navigating the very difficult balance amongst parliamentary parties. In all his roles, he was often described as strategic, enigmatic and fiercely loyal to the cause of stability and unity.
“Yet despite his stature, he was forever humble. His own humble beginnings infused him with a mission to uplift our people. He was most happy when he was among the people. He never isolated himself from them. He never lost the common touch,” he said.
Ramaphosa said since the news came of his passing, they have seen throngs of ordinary citizens, traditional leaders and political leaders from across the spectrum flocking to DD’s home in Barberton to pay their respects. He said such was his popularity and his ability to unite the people of this province.
“Mabuza was not a man for standing on podiums and giving long speeches. He was not a man for the pomp and ceremony of high office. He preferred to be on the ground with the masses of our people, listening to their concerns and working to improve their lives. Over the past days, we have heard from a number of young citizens of Mpumalanga who have described him as a father of the community, who helped bring development to many rural parts of Mpumalanga.
“He was a man of sharp intellect, deep pragmatism and quiet resolve. To some, he was the “cat with nine lives” — resilient in the face of political storms. But to many in his home province and beyond, he was a source of support, a provider of opportunities, and a champion for rural development and education,” said Ramaphosa.
He said Mabuza’s political activism began from a very young age. Ramaphosa said his former principal recalls how he was still in primary school when he first got involved in politics, first through the Black Consciousness Movement and later as a unionist.
“Mabuza loved education. When he finished high school, he chose to enter the teaching profession. We have heard outpourings of love from those he encouraged to study. There are probably some of his former high school learners among us today, people who still called him Sir and Meneer because they clung to his passion for education long after he left the classroom.
“Mpumalanga has so many more boarding schools in rural areas because DD wanted to eradicate the barrier to education for farm children. True to his calling, the legacy that our former Deputy President leaves us is that of being quick to respond to matters of service delivery,” he said.
Ramaphosa said today in Mpumalanga Province, there are families who now live in decent homes because during door-to-door campaigns, DD intervened on the spot and at some point, dug into his own pockets to meet their needs. He said those houses were not built after years of follow-up meetings.
“They were erected within months because he was not one to make empty promises. I had the privilege of serving alongside DD for five years in government, and during this time I came to know him as a person who understood the responsibility that he had been given. He was dependable, reliable and an excellent deputy.
“As Leader of Government Business in Parliament he worked to ensure that the will of the people was reflected in the laws of the land and in the programmes of the state. In all his responsibilities as Deputy President, from land reform to HIV and AIDS, from anti-poverty initiatives to addressing the needs of veterans, Mabuza could always be relied on,” said Ramaphosa.
The Guardian 