Former Deputy President David Mabuza Laid to Rest

(The Post News)- As former deputy president David Mabuza was laid to rest today, President Cyril Ramaphosa considered him as “dependable, reliable and an excellent deputy”. A mass of people gathered at Hoërskool Bergvlam in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, to pay their last respects to Mbuza.

Ramaphosa says Mabuza should be remembered as a servant of the people. He says he was one leader who preferred to be on the ground and listen to people’s concerns. Amongst other things, he described him as a strategic leader. “He proved to be a renowned political strategist, always deftly navigating the very difficult balance amongst parliamentary parties,” says Ramaphosa.

He further reflected on how Mabuza brought development in Mpumalanga where he grew up. “He was a source of support, a provider of opportunities, and a champion for rural development and education. Mpumalanga has so many more boarding schools in rural areas because DD wanted to eradicate the barrier to education for farm children,” he says.

Mabuza’s son Mxolisi Mabuza shared about the passion his father had for education. “Education was one of our father’s greatest passions. He spoke about it constantly as a tool for success and a foundation for freedom. He called our reports ‘magic tickets’ not because they guaranteed gifts, but because they represented efforts, discipline and freedom,” he says.

Meanwhile, Mabuza’s daughter, Angela Mabuza, spoke about how they are going to miss him as a family. “We’ll miss his presence and how the room changed when he entered, the sound of his footsteps, and the look on his face when something wasn’t right. We’ll miss his laughter, especially when it came from deep within and reached all the way to his eyes. Those moments were rare and unforgettable,” she says.
Angela went on to describe her father as a tidy man. “His socks were always hidden, his shoes polished, his posture strong and unshakable. Dad didn’t walk – he moved with purpose, with direction.”

Nonetheless, Ramaphosa says Mabuza leaves a legacy of quick response to service delivery.