David Mabuza, who served as South Africa’s deputy president and was a senior figure in the African National Congress (ANC), passed away Thursday at the age of 64, the party announced.
Mabuza held the position of deputy president of South Africa from 2018 until 2023 and was also the ANC’s deputy president from 2017 to 2022. Details surrounding his death have not yet been disclosed, though local reports indicate he died in a hospital.
A key political ally, Mabuza played a crucial role in helping current President Cyril Ramaphosa secure the ANC presidency during the party’s 2017 elective conference, a victory that paved the way for Ramaphosa to lead the nation.
After serving as Ramaphosa’s deputy, Mabuza stepped back from frontline politics following his resignation in 2023 but later reemerged to campaign for the ANC during last year’s elections.
Before his national roles, Mabuza was the provincial leader of Mpumalanga from 2009 to 2018.
In a statement, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula praised Mabuza’s lifelong commitment to public service. “Comrade Mabuza dedicated his life to the service of the people of South Africa,” he said. “From his early struggle against apartheid to his leadership as Premier of Mpumalanga and later as Deputy President, he remained a devoted cadre upholding values of unity, discipline, and transformation.”
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