By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe and Kopano Dibakwane
The sudden passing of former Mpumalanga Premier and former Deputy President of South Africa, David Dabede ‘DD’ Mabuza, has shocked the entire country.
Affectionately known as ‘The Cat’, Mabuza reportedly passed away at the age of 64 in a Gauteng hospital on Thursday 3 July 2025.
He has undoubtedly left an indelible mark in the South African political landscape for his mysterious and charismatic persona, which earned him a lot of respect from his comrades in the ANC(African National Congress), and opponents alike.
Mpumalanga Premier, Mandla Ndlovu, has expressed sadness over Mabuza’s passing. He detailed Mabuza’s illustrious contribution towards developing the lives of the people of Mpumalanga, such as eradicating farm schools and replacing them with state-of-the-art boarding schools, massive infrastructure development, to name but a few.
Ndlovu also acknowledged the political lessons he learned from Mabuza while serving as Mpumalanga Provincial Secretary of the ANC, with Mabuza as Provincial Chairperson. He urged the people of Mpumalanga to honour Mabuza for dedicating his life to service of the country and the people of Mpumalanga.
“ We join the President(Cyril Ramaphosa) and the country in conveying our condolences to his family, for the loss. Mabuza served our province and the country with distinction, and with a deep sense of commitment to the ideals of democracy, peace, unity, and the upliftment of our people. As a former educator myself, he shaped my perspective on how commitment can propel you from the class(room) as an educator, to participate in responsibilities of a
bigger scale,” said Ndlovu.
ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, described Mabuza as a committed cadre who carried the values of unity, discipline, and transformation.
“ 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,” said Mbalula.
Other messages of condolences came from President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mabuza’s fellow comrades in the provincial and national ANC, as well as leaders of other political parties.
