By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Deputy President of South Africa, David Mabuza resigned has resigned from his position, he told mourners at a family funeral in the northeastern Mpumalanga province.
Mabuza said he had informed the President, Cyril Ramaphosa of his resignation, paving way for Paul Mashatile, the new deputy leader of the governing African National Congress, to succeed him.
Mashatile, previously the ANC’s treasurer-general, is expected to be sworn in as a lawmaker on Feb. 6, a clear indication that he’s set to join the executive.
Ideally it is “the deputy president of the ANC who becomes deputy president of the country,” Fikile Mbalula, the ANC’s secretary general, told reporters last week.
Mashatile’s appointment, along with several other cabinet changes, are likely to be announced in coming days.
“Deputy President Mabuza has expressed his desire to step down from his position, following the outcome of the governing party’s leadership elections in December 2022,” Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa’s spokesman, said in a text. “However, President Ramaphosa has requested the Deputy President to remain in his role until such time the modalities of his departure and transition have been finalized.”
Mashatile defeated Mabuza at an ANC conference in December, after Mabuza failed to secure a single nomination from any of the party’s structures.
Ramaphosa was reelected as ANC leader in December, making him the party’s presidential candidate in 2024 elections.
