David DD Mabuza has been hailed as a principled leader and unifier by those who worked alongside him in the ANC in the ANC government.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile was first to visit the home of his predecessor in Brynston Johannesburg and reflected on Mabuza’s insistence on unity whenever the ANC was divided alongside factional lines.
“DD was a unifier. if he said he’ll do something he’ll do exactly that so after agreeing on something I wouldn’t have sleepless nights worrying about whether he’ll stick to his word or do something else. I spent a lot of time with him in the house right behind us discussing, long hours and all the time he will insist on unity. you will remember when we were going to conference in 2017 and I said to him ‘the conference is upon us and we are required to provide a name’ and he said unity and when asked about another comrade that there’s no unity he said where comrade Paul goes I go and that’s how we were able to present comrade Cyril ( President Ramaphosa) as a unity candidate although not entirely successful but that is a base that we can build on,” said Mashatile during a doorstep.
Mashatile also said Mabuza played a crucial role in ensuring that the ANC remained entact during the two conferences of 2017 and 2022 that were marked by deep divisions with Ramaphosa on the one side and the Zumas on the other end.
He said even after finishing a term as deputy president Mabuza did not attempt to rule from the grave.
The deputy minister of basic education Reginah Mohaule worked with Mabuza for many years in Mpumalanga and later in the national government. She described him as a principled leader and a kind person.
“When he took over as Premier, the finances of Mpumalanga were bad so we went to then Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, may his soul rest in peace, where DD pleaded and said there’s no money but Gordhan said, look here if you want me to come in, I am going to take over through section 100 then he (Mabuza) said to me, let’s go back, let’s go back home and pull up our socks and tighten our belts. That’s when we came back, he put all the we can know the strings to make sure that the cost curtailment measures, and they were the strangest cost curtailment measures including buying water. We never bought water as MECs in the offices. Said if you want water, bring your water from home. So we fought for the stability of the finances of the province until our province was stabilised. Then built so many schools,” said Mohaule of Mabuza’s period as Mpumalanga Premier.
She said Mabuza helped a lot of people particularly youngsters by paying for their education.
“Children of farm dwellers. He took them from those farming communities.He built them pudding schools. They live there. He said we buy (1:16) everything for them, including soap to wash.So he changed the lives of many. Even when he was a teacher, he sent many to universities. When he was MEC, even formed DD Mabuza Foundation.I was MEC, I know. He sent so many students to universities through that foundation. And I know that now, because it’s normal, most of them will come.Because when we are still alive, people take it for granted but when we are normal, they remember that I am here because of that man. So, he has a huge legacy,” said Mohaule.