JOHANNESBURG – African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has landed himself in hot water after publicly confirming the death of former deputy president David Mabuza before President Cyril Ramaphosa's official announcement. Mbalula's actions are being criticised as undermining both the party and government protocols, with some within the ANC calling for him to be reprimanded.
David Dabede “DD” Mabuza, the former South African deputy president, died on Thursday, 3 July 2025, in an Mpumalanga hospital following a short illness. He was born in Mpumalanga on 25 August 1960.
President Ramaphosa confirmed Mabuza's death on Thursday evening, stating, "On behalf of government and the nation, I offer my profound condolences to the late Deputy President’s wife, Mrs Mabuza, and the children. I extend my condolences to Deputy President Mabuza’s friends and the people of Mpumalanga, whom he served as premier from 2009 to 2018, and previously as a Member of the Executive Council of Mpumalanga across a range of portfolios."
However, before the president's address, Mbalula took to social media platform X to announce Mabuza's passing. "Comrade Mabuza dedicated his life to the service of the people of South Africa," Mbalula posted. "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's decision to pre-empt the official announcement has reportedly angered his colleagues within the ANC's top seven and the national executive committee (NEC).
Mabuza was first sworn in as deputy president in February 2018 and again in May 2019 as part of the 6th democratic administration, led by President Ramaphosa. According to the Presidency’s profile of Mabuza, he held several positions within the Mpumalanga executive, including MEC for agriculture and land administration from 2008 to 2009; MEC for roads and transport from 2007 to 2008; a Member of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature from 2004 to 2007. He was also a Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2004 and before that, Mpumalanga MEC for housing from 1999 to 2001 and MEC for education between 1994 and 1998. He was a mathematics teacher by training.
Ramaphosa praised Mabuza’s contribution to South Africa: “We are saddened today by the loss of a leader who was grounded in activism at the early stages of his political career and who came to lead our nation and shape South Africa’s engagement with our continental compatriots and the international community in his role as Deputy President.”
“The former Deputy President deserves our appreciation for his deep commitment to the liberation struggle and to the nation’s development as an inclusive, prosperous, democratic state,” Ramaphosa added.
Mabuza was a key player in the ascendancy of Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC president in 2017. Stephen Grootes wrote in November 2022: “It is difficult now to remember just how potent Mabuza was five years ago. It is generally accepted that without his intervention, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma would have won the ANC presidency."
“This would have led to the continued supremacy of Jacob Zuma’s faction, and a likely party split. It would have also been coupled with massive social turmoil as a result of the continuation of Gupta-aligned control of South Africa just as the #GuptaLeaks laid bare most of their crimes," Grootes added.
“It was this central positioning that forced the CR17 campaign to make Mabuza deputy president. Mabuza even had the power to force Ramaphosa to postpone his Cabinet announcement,” Grootes wrote.
Mabuza was relatively quiet during his term as deputy president. He was tasked with overseeing key programmes, but was often more notable for his absence rather than his influence.
Mabuza was, however, locked in a long-running civil case against conservationist Fred Daniel, which dated back to his governance tenure in Mpumalanga, as Daily Maverick’s Kevin Bloom reported. He had also been in and out of Russia, seeking medical treatment and follow-up consultation in that country. As Daily Maverick reported in 2o21, Mabuza had allegedly been poisoned during his tenure as Mpumalanga premier. Mabuza had also been front and centre of a New York Times feature in 2018, which claimed that during his time as Mpumalanga premier, “millions of dollars for education have disappeared into a vortex of suspicious spending, shoddy public construction and brazen corruption to fuel his political ambitions, according to government records and officials in his party”.
Since leaving public office, Mabuza kept a relatively low profile, though he attended this year’s State of the Nation Address. Mabuza resigned from Parliament in March 2023 to make way for new ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile to fill the role as the country’s No 2.
“On behalf of the African National Congress, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, comrades, and the people of South Africa. We have lost a patriot, a freedom fighter and a leader who served with humility and conviction,” posted Mbalula.
Mbalula's actions have now cast a shadow over the ANC's mourning of Mabuza, with questions being raised about his judgment and adherence to protocol. The incident highlights the internal tensions and power dynamics within the ruling party, and it remains to be seen what consequences, if any, Mbalula will face.
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