Former president David Mabuza dies
TimesLIVE understands Mabuza died on Thursday but the details of his death were still unclear at the time of publishing.
Mabuza died at a hospital in Sandton after an illness following his poisoning when he was still premier of Mpumalanga.
It is understood that President Cyril Ramaphosa has been alerted by Mabuza's family and is expected to make an announcement.
Mabuza was deputy president of SA from 2018 until 2023 after the ANC conference in 2022 elected his successor Paul Mashatile who was eventually sworn in as his replacement.
'He has been sick, so he was in hospital in Sandton and when he died. His wife was still in Mpumalanga, so she was notified and had to travel this side, but it is now out there before the wife could arrive,' said a senior government official.
Ramaphosa is expected to release a statement announcing the news of Mabuza's passing shortly.
Insiders in the Presidency said they were still discussing whether Ramaphosa would still address the nation after releasing the statement.
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