Portraits of South African Deputy President David Mabuza (L) and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are seen on a wall at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) offices in Pretoria on November 2, 2022. (Photo by Phill MAGAKOE / AFP)
Cabinet shuffle: The Cat is gone – Deputy President David Mabuza resigns as MP
Mabuza has resigned as a Member of Parliament, just weeks after announcing his desire to vacate the office of the Deputy President.
Portraits of South African Deputy President David Mabuza (L) and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are seen on a wall at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) offices in Pretoria on November 2, 2022. (Photo by Phill MAGAKOE / AFP)
David Mabuza handed in his letter of resignation to Parliament on Tuesday, 28 February, weeks after he publicly announced his desire to vacate the office of the Deputy President.
MABUZA RESIGNS AS MP
Mabuza reportedly handed his resignation letter to ANC Parliamentary Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina on Tuesday.
The move comes ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet shuffle, which is expected to take place in the coming days.
As previously reported, Mabuza offered to step down as Ramaphosa’s deputy to clear the way for Paul Mashatile, who was elected ANC Deputy President at the December conference.
However, the Presidency said Ramaphosa asked Mabuza to remain in office until “the modalities around his departure are finalised.”
READ: Ramaphosa rejects Mabuza’s resignation, asks him to stay on during transition
During his reply to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate last month, in what seemed like a farewell, Ramaphosa thanked Mabuza for his years of service in the position.
Mabuza spoke of the importance of aligning party leadership roles with government responsibilities. He also said he was making space when he announced his intention to resign at his brother’s funeral in Mpumalanga.
“I am making space for the one elected at the conference because I can see he (Mashatile) is also making a few moves. So now I am also in a rush to give them space. I spoke to the president and told him I would step down,” said Mabuza.
As previously reported, Mabuza is the first ANC deputy president in our democracy not to be elected president. Thabo Mbeki was Nelson Mandela’s deputy from 1994 until he succeeded him in 1994. Mbeki was eventually replaced by Zuma, who was his deputy until 2008.
Ramaphosa deputised Zuma from 2014 to 2018.
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