Latest news with #MpumalangaProvincialLegislature
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Mpumalanga pays tribute to DD Mabuza
The people of Mpumalanga are mourning the passing of the former deputy president, Dabede David Mabuza. Mabuza – or 'the Cat', as he was affectionately known – died in hospital on July 3 at the age of 64, following a short illness. President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a category 2 state funeral for the late former deputy president. According to the State and Provincial Official Funeral Policy Manual of The Presidency, a category 2 state funeral is reserved for a deputy president of the republic, an acting president, and a former deputy president. 'While preparations unfold, President Ramaphosa has declared that a period of national mourning be observed from Monday, July 7 until the evening of Saturday, July 12,' a statement from The Presidency read. 'During this period, the national flag must be flown at half-mast at all flag stations around the country.' The Mpumalanga premier, Mandla Ndlovu, described Mabuza as a towering figure who devoted his time to serving the people of South Africa. 'It is with profound sadness and a deep sense of national loss that we mourn the passing of the former deputy president,' said Ndlovu. He highlighted Mabuza's passion for education, noting the legacy he left through the replacement of farm schools with state-of-the-art boarding schools. 'DD attributed his visionary leadership, characterised by massive infrastructure development and investment in human capital, to the masses,' he added. ALSO READ: Thousands gather in Masoyi to honour David Mabuza Ndlovu said Mabuza was driven by a passion for service, until his last breath. Both men had started their careers as teachers and later worked together as provincial ANC chairperson and secretary, respectively. 'We shared ideas and learned a lot from each other. As a former educator myself, he shaped my perspective on how commitment can propel you from the classroom to responsibilities of a much larger scale,' Ndlovu explained. The Speaker of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, Linda Masina, extended her condolences to Mabuza's family. Mabuza was affectionately nicknamed the Cat after a public address in the legislature in which he said, 'Ngizwile ukuthi amagundane bekazenzela ngo-cheese (the rats were doing as they pleased with cheese while the cat was away; now the cat is back).' Sizwe Sama Yende, editor of The People's Eye, described Mabuza's death as unexpected. 'I saw photos of him on social media about two months ago at his father's funeral. He looked healthy. Mabuza was a colossus in the politics of Mpumalanga. His passing has touched many people – including myself. 'We had a typical journo-politician relationship while he was premier. Such relationships tend to be tense because journalists sometimes see things differently from politicians.' Sama Yende noted that although Mabuza left Mpumalanga under a cloud of allegations, he was never formally charged. Phumla Nkomo, better known as Phumla Music, said Mabuza played a significant role in her academic journey. 'From undergrad to postgrad, he took care of my fees from his own pocket,' she said. ALSO READ: State Funeral: Expect Temporary Road Closures 'In 2014, during the June holidays, I went to his house. On the fourth day, he drove out around 05:00 and saw us waiting outside. He said he knew my father and promised to see me the next day.' Nkomo explained that her father had suffered a stroke and her mother had been struggling to support the family. Mabuza settled her debts, enabling her to access her results. 'He made sure I lived in a fully furnished flat, had food, money, a phone, a laptop – everything I needed. He only wanted distinctions in return, and I gave him over 38,' she said. The Mabuza family spokesperson, Desmond Moela, said funeral arrangements were still under discussion. He added that the South African government would communicate details on how proceedings would be handled. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Mpumalanga mourns ‘the Cat': Tributes continue to pour in for DD Mabuza
The Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature's speaker, Linda Masina, said they are sending their deepest condolences to former deputy president and former premier of Mpumalanga, David 'DD' Mabuza. Mabuza passed away in hospital on July 3 at the age of 64, following a short illness. 'He was affectionately known as 'the Cat' after he referred to himself as such during a public address in front of the Legislature building. He jokingly said 'ngizwile ukuthi amagundane bekazenzela ngo-cheese (the rats were doing as they please with cheese) while the cat was away; now the cat is back',' Masina said. ALSO READ: Mpumalanga ANC mourns DD Mabuza's passing: 'A great tree has fallen' She described his death as a great loss. 'During his tenure as premier, Mabuza put important systems in place, ensuring Mpumalanga truly became the Place of the Rising Sun and that it works hard for its people. Mabuza will be sorely missed by every person who enjoys the privilege of shared experiences with and fond memories of him. 'His noble contribution will inspire the current and future generations of activists and leaders in governance and other aspects of life to pick up this baton and march forward,' said Masina. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 12. There will be three memorial services for Mabuza that will take place in the three regions of the province on Thursday, July 10. The family spokesperson, Desmond Moela, said other details about the funeral are still being discussed. According to him, the South African government will communicate its decision on how these proceedings will be run. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Youth and government discuss progress and technology at 2025 Youth Parliament
The 2025 Youth Parliament emphasised the importance of youth participation in the implementation of past resolutions and the tracking of progress in developmental community initiatives. This was reiterated by a member of the National Assembly, Malusi Gigaba, who was one of the speakers at the two-day event held on Friday, June 6 and Saturday 7, at Thembalethu Community Hall. 'This is an opportunity for the people of Africa to shake off the divisions of the past and chains of colonialism to build a future for the youth. Our people need to stop thinking as former colonists and victims and act as one. All we have achieved now is political freedom. We need to take charge of the forces of production and create opportunities within the African continent. In addition, to benefit from the innovations of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, we need to equip our children with the skills and knowledge required for the future economy, such as coding, robotics, and entrepreneurship as educational cornerstones,' Gigaba said on Saturday. ALSO READ: Load reduction: Are only the poorest areas in Mbombela left in the dark? The parliament was hosted by the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature (MPL) under the theme 'Making Follow-up on Government Commitments'. In line with this theme, the legislature focused on providing solutions to the challenges faced by the youth in the province through engagements with provincial government, while encouraging public participation. Some of the issues discussed included youth development funding, education and the upcoming local government elections. Special attention was given to G20 priorities, objectives and opportunities as well as the development of the African continent. ALSO READ: Long-serving Barberton correctional services commissioner retires The Mpumalanga premier, Mandla Ndlovu, along with the MPL speaker, Lindi Masina, and members of his executive council attended the Youth Parliament on the Saturday to engage with the youth. Various members of the legislature and provincial departments engaged with attendees on the Friday. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
