Pic :Deputy President, Paul Mashatile at David Mabuza'S memorial service held at Phola, Mpuamalanga
By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe and Kopano Dibakwane
Community members of Phola, near Hazyview, where the late David Mabuza was born and raised, came out in overwhelming numbers to attend an emotionally-charged memorial service held at the local sports ground, in honour of the late former South African Deputy President and Mpumalanga Premier, on Thursday 10 July 2025.
The service was attended by relatives and friends of the bereaved Mabuza family, the current Deputy President of ANC(African National Congress) and South African, Paul Mashatile, the Premier of Mpumalanga, Mandla Ndlovu, a delegation from the Kingdom of eSwatini, as well as numerous ANC members in their respective standings from the province, and other parts of the country.
Two other memorial services were also held in Mpumalanga (Middleburg and Ermelo) on the same day, giving mourners an opportunity to pay tribute to the leader who sadly passed away on 3 July 2025 at a Gauteng hospital, following a short illness.
Mabuza’s ANC comrades hailed him as a humble member of the political party, a unifier who dedicated his life towards improving the lives of the people of Mpumalanga and South Africa as whole during his tenure as Premier and Deputy President respectively.
As he delivered the eulogy, Mashatile said the country has lost a patriot, while the ANC has lost a remarkable cadre with laudable struggle credentials, stemming from his various roles as a community youth activist, former member of AZASO(Azanian Student Organisation), a mathematics and science teacher, leader of the National Education Union Of South Africa, as well as the longest serving Provincial ANC Chairperson in Mpumalanga. Mashatile also thanked Mabuza for his role of fostering unity within the ANC and paving the way towards the party’s current quest for renewal.
“ On behalf of the ANC National Executive Committee, I would like to express my gratitude to the family and our government for providing us with the opportunity to pay tribute to this remarkable, disciplined, and committed South African, Comrade David Dabede Mabuza. While we are here to celebrate his life, we also acknowledge that his untimely passing has left us scarred and deeply grieved.
“ As we all know, there is no human being without a flaw. Human beings are not angels, but Comrade DD’s good deeds and character overwhelmed what we might have perceived as his bad side. He continued to serve the county with the same diligence and a sense of duty that characterised his entire career.
I inherited many of his tasks as Deputy President, and I can personally attest to the quite yet significant work he carried out with honour and humility,” said Mashatile.
Other speakers on the day included ANC Women’s League Deputy Secretary-General, Dinah Pule, who equally hailed Mabuza for his role in empowering underprivileged members of various communities in the province through his David Mabuza Foundation, as well as the support he has diligently displayed towards the Woman’s League, both in Mpumalanga and nationally.
Kgoshi Lameck Mokoena, Chairpeson of the Mpumalanga House of Traditional and Khoi San Leaders, thanked Mabuza for looking after Amakhosi in the province by building offices and providing the requisite resources to play their role as anchors of many communities in the broad province of Mpumalanga.
Kgoshi Mokoena expressed gratitude towards Mpumalanga Premiers(Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane and Mandla Ndlovu), who ascended to power after Mabuza’s tenure, for continuing in the late leader’s footsteps of supporting the Traditional Leaders in the province.
Mabuza’s youngest sister, Zandile, called upon ANC leaders to allocate enough time to their families while also dealing with matters of the party and the country. She could barely hold back her tears as she lamented the manner in which her elder brother’s passing was prematurely splashed on social media before the family was properly informed. She however acknowledged Mabuza’s remarkable role as a caring leader to many members of various communities in the country.
“ The pain we are suffering today will never heal. Our kids never got to sit down with their uncle. They don’t know him. They only see him on TV. But we all say it’s okay. My brother we will still love you. Your love didn’t belong to only us, but to the people of Mpumalanga and the country, and we know you lived your entire life as a dedicated member of the ANC to the end,” said Zandile.
The memorial services in Middleburg and Ermelo were led by ANC Chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, and ANC Deputy Secretary-General, Nomvula Mokonyane, respectively.
