SADTU MOURNS THE PASSING OF FORMER DEPUTY PRESIDENT DAVID MABUZA
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) joins the nation in mourning the passing of former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, former Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC), and former Premier of Mpumalanga, comrade David Mabuza.
SADTU extends its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, comrades, and all those whose lives he touched through his dedicated service to the people of South Africa.
An activist and a teacher by profession, comrade Mabuza understood and championed the power of education as a tool for liberation and transformation. His commitment to education as a pillar of social justice was evident in his activism during the height of apartheid, where he aligned himself with progressive organisations advocating for non-racial, equitable education.
Comrade Mabuza was one of the founding members of SADTU and played a pivotal role in its formation. He was instrumental in building the Union’s structures in the then Eastern Transvaal, now known as Mpumalanga. His efforts helped lay the foundation for a strong, non-racial, unitary teachers’ union committed to advancing the rights of educators and learners alike.
Before the formation of SADTU, he was an active member of the National Education Union of South Africa (NEUSA), which was a vocal and fearless force during the apartheid era, famously advocating for “liberation before education.” He also served as a coordinator of the National Education Crisis Committee, which mobilised communities to confront the deeply entrenched inequalities in the education system and promoted the vision of “People’s Education for People’s Power.”
David Mabuza’s legacy is one of principled leadership, unwavering commitment to social justice, and a deep-rooted belief in education as a foundation for freedom. SADTU will remember him as a comrade, a teacher, and a revolutionary who never abandoned the classroom, even as he ascended to the highest echelons of political leadership.
May his soul rest in revolutionary peace.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat