Mabuza played a critical role in politics - Ramaphosa

MPUMALANGA - President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed late former Deputy President David Mabuza for playing a critical role in politics, saying the late statesman was a dedicated leader.

Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at Mabuza’s funeral in Mbombela on Saturday.

Mabuza died suddenly last week following a short illness.

The 64-year-old served in several portfolios in Mpumalanga before becoming the African National Congress’s (ANC) deputy president in 2017 and the country’s second-in-command in 2018 under Ramaphosa’s administration.

In the 2017 ANC national elective conference in Nasrec, Mabuza was instrumental in wrestling the party away from the so-called Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction to the renewal slate led by Cyril Ramaphosa.

In the buildup to the pivotal Nasrec conference, Mabuza was widely expected to sway Mpumalanga to vote for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma but switched at the 11th hour to deliver Ramaphosa’s victory.

This is a move that earned him praise but also criticism and new political foes.

Ramaphosa has described Mabuza as tactical.

"In all of his roles, DD was often described as strategic, enigmatic, and obviously loyal to the cause of stability and unity. It’s despite his stature; he was forever humble."

Ramaphosa says Mabuza paid little mind to the naysayers.

"DD wasn’t called Mr. Unity for nothing. At a time when there was disunity in the ANC, DD Mabuza sought to unite the ANC, and with his passing, we lost a great leader. DD left a void."

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While he stepped down as a member of parliament in 2023, Ramaphosa says Mabuza continued to call for effective service delivery across the country.