Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep sadness at the passing of former deputy president, David Mabuza, at 64.
Former deputy president Mabuza passed away today, Thursday, 3 July 2025, at a hospital in Johannesburg following a short illness.
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“I have learned with deep sadness of the passing of former deputy president and former premier of Mpumalanga, David Dabede Mabuza,” President Ramaphosa said in a statement made available to The Bulrushes.
“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.”
President Ramaphosa added: “My thoughts are also with Deputy President Mabuza’s comrades in his political home, the African National Congress, where he was elected as the organisation’s Deputy President in December 2017”.
During his service as Deputy President, Mabuza applied his leadership and mobilisation abilities to his role as the Leader of Government Business in Parliament; leading the South African National Aids Council; coordinating anti-poverty initiatives in the form of Public Employment Programmes, Integrated Service Delivery and Enterprise Development.
Deputy President Mabuza also represented South Africa on global platforms and consolidated relations between South Africa and its closest partners.
As Deputy President, he chaired the Cabinet Committees of Governance, State Capacity and Institutional Development, as well as Justice, Crime-Prevention and Security.
“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,” President Ramaphosa said.
“The former deputy president deserves our appreciation for his deep commitment to the liberation struggle and the nation’s development as an inclusive, prosperous, democratic state.”
Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to President Ramaphosa, said further announcements will be made in due course on memorial arrangements and the honours with which the country will pay its final respects to the former Deputy President.
Meanwhile, Presiding Officers of Parliament, led by the Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, have expressed their “heartfelt condolences” to the family of the former deputy president.
Deputy President Mabuza played a critical role in fostering better coordination between Parliament and the Executive.
“He remained committed to parliamentary accountability, consistently availing himself to answer questions in the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, and engaging in oversight processes with diligence and respect,” Parliament said in a statement.
“In his capacity as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land and Agriculture, then Deputy President Mabuza oversaw the implementation of key recommendations made by the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture, appointed in 2018.”
Parliament said Deputy President Mabuza’s leadership contributed to the development of crucial policy instruments such as the Land Court Act, which provided for the appointment of full-time judges to adjudicate land-related matters, as well as the Land Beneficiary and Allocation Policy and the Land Donation Policy.
