David Mabuza Biography: Age, Net Worth, Wife, Children, Nicknames, Death, Parents

David Mabuza is a South African politician who served as vice president of South Africa from 2018 to 2023.

He was also vice-president of the African National Congress (ANC) from 2017 to 2022 and prime minister of Mpumalanga from 2009 to 2018.

Known as “catBecause of his political survival skills, Mabuza has been a controversial figure in South African politics, facing charges of corruption, fraud and involvement in political murders.

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  • Full name: David Dabede Mabuza
  • Nickname: Cat
  • Date of birth: August 25, 1960
  • Age: 63 years old
  • male
  • Place of birth: Transvaal Province, Union of South Africa
  • Nationality: South African
  • Occupation: Politician, teacher, philanthropist, anti-apartheid activist
  • Height: 1.75 m
  • Parents: Robert Mabuza and Norah Mabuza
  • Siblings: Mike Mabuza
  • Spouse: Nonhlanhla Patience Mnisi (present), Ruth Funi Silinda (div.)
  • Children: Four
  • Relationship status: Married
  • Net worth: R40 million

Early Life & Education

David Mabuza, or The Cat, will be 63 years old in 2023. He was born on August 25, 1960, in the Transvaal Province, Union of South Africa.

He grew up in Brondal, a rural area in Mpumalanga, where his father was a farm worker and his mother was a domestic worker.

He attended Khumbula High School, where he became interested in politics and joined the Azania Student Organization (AZASO), a Black Consciousness movement.

He was also involved in the United Democratic Front (UDF), an anti-apartheid coalition, and the National Education Crisis Committee (NECC), a student-led organization advocating for good education than for black students.

Mabuza holds a National Teacher’s Certificate from Mngwenya College of Education in 1985 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 1989.

He served as a teacher and principal at many schools in Mpumalanga. In addition, he served as president of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU), an affiliate of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), from 1988 to 1991.

Personal life

Mabuza has been married twice. His first wife was Ruth Funi Silinda, a former member of parliament and daughter of ANC veteran Enos Mabuza.

They divorced in 2004 after 20 years of marriage. His current wife is Nonhlanhla Patience Mnisi, a former teacher and businesswoman. They have four children together.

Mabuza is a devout Christian and a member of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC). He is also a philanthropist who has donated money and resources to various causes, such as education, health, and social development.

He also supports the preservation of cultural heritage and the promotion of tourism in Mpumalanga.

Mabuza has faced several health challenges in his life. In 2014, he was accused of being poisoned by political opponents and had to go to Russia for medical treatment.

Since then, he has made several trips to Russia for follow-up care. In 2019, he had a routine medical examination in Cuba, sparking rumors about his health condition. He also has diabetes and high blood pressure.

Career

Mabuza began his political career as a member of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature in 1994, representing the ANC.

He held various positions on the Mpumalanga Executive Council, such as MEC for Education, Housing, Roads and Transport, Agriculture and Land Management. He was also provincial president of the ANC from 2008 to 2017.

Mabuza was first elected to the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) in 2007 and became a close ally of former president Jacob Zuma. He was appointed prime minister of Mpumalanga in 2009 and served for two terms until 2018.

During his tenure, he was accused of mismanaging the province’s finances, inflating ANC membership numbers and orchestrating murders and political intimidation against his opponents.

Mabuza was elected ANC deputy president in 2017 after he switched support from Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to Cyril Ramaphosa at the last minute, a move seen as decisive in Ramaphosa’s victory.

He was then appointed vice president of South Africa in 2018 after Ramaphosa succeeded Zuma. He resigned from both posts in 2023 for personal reasons.

As vice president, Mabuza was responsible for overseeing government programs on HIV/AIDS, land reform and service delivery.

He also leads the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) and the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC).

He is also a special envoy to South Sudan. He represents South Africa at various international forums, such as the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the United Nations (UN).

Net value

Mabuza has an estimated net worth of R40 million.

He earned his wealth from his political career and invested in various businesses such as agriculture, mining, and tourism.

Death

Mabuza died on 5 April 2023, aged 63, after a heart attack at his home in Pretoria. He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

His death was announced by President Ramaphosa, who expressed condolences to Mabuza’s family and friends and announced a state funeral for him.

He was buried in his hometown of Brondal, Mpumalanga, on 10 April 2023, following a memorial service at the Union Buildings.

Argumentative

Mabuza has been embroiled in a number of controversies throughout his political career, from allegations of corruption, fraud and involvement in political murders to land, bidding and party leadership disputes.

Some of the most notable controversies are:

  • In 1998, he was sacked as MEC for Education after being accused of inflating Mpumalanga’s exam pass rate from 44.7% to 72.9% in what became known as the “Mabuza scandal”.
  • In 2009, he was sued by businessman Fred Daniel, who claimed Mabuza had orchestrated a campaign of violence and intimidation against him to take over his land and wildlife reserve in Badplaas. The court dismissed the case and Daniel was subsequently sentenced to seven years for fraud and perjury.
  • In 2010, he was accused of being behind the assassination of ANC leader James Nkambule, who exposed a list of assassins allegedly hired by Mabuza to eliminate his opponents. Mabuza denied the allegations and sued Nkambule’s family for defamation, but the case was never concluded.
  • In 2014, he was accused of being poisoned by political opponents and had to go to Russia for medical treatment. He claimed that the poisoning was an attempt to prevent him from exposing corruption and factionalism within the ANC.
  • In 2017, he was profiled by journalist Rehana Rossouw in a book, Predator Politics: Mabuza, Fred Daniel and the Great Land Scam, which detailed his alleged role in the land scam and other corrupt activities in Mpumalanga. He claimed that the book was fabricated and threatened to sue the author and publisher.
  • In 2018, he was accused of buying votes and inflating the number of ANC members in Mpumalanga to secure his position as deputy president of the ANC and the country. He denies the allegations and says he increased membership through a rigorous recruitment drive.
  • In 2019, he was questioned by the ANC Integrity Commission, which identified him as one of the members who may have brought the party into disrepute. He was cleared by the commission and said there was no evidence of wrongdoing against him.
  • In 2020, he was sued by the Organization to Undo Tax Abuse (OUTA), which filed a criminal complaint against him and 13 other people and two businesses for allegedly being part of the network Criminal networks loot public funds and resources in Mpumalanga. He dismissed the complaint as baseless and malicious.
  • In 2021, he was named by former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter as a senior politician involved in corruption and sabotage at the electricity authority. He denies the allegations and says he supports De Ruyter’s efforts to clean up Eskom.

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