Once the outgoing deputy president of South Africa, David Mabuza, has cleared his desk, he is headed straight for agriculture, experts predict. However, they say he is expected to make a big return to politics in the future.
Mabuza finally broke his silence over rumours that he is resigning from the second most important job in the country. Speaking at his brother’s funeral in Mpumalanga, Mabuza confirmed that he will be stepping down.
While it is not clear when his last day in office will be, political analyst Theo Venter said he expects Mabuza to pursue his agricultural aspirations.
“I think he will be going into farming. He has a nice farm in [Barberton] Mpumalanga. Word has it, locals actually call it the ‘Nkandla of Mpumalanga’,” Venter told Food For Mzansi.
The northern areas of Mpumalanga are known for crop and cattle farming, and Venter predicts Mabuza will be following in the footsteps of President Cyril Ramaphosa to farm Ankole cattle.
Mabuza’s work in agriculture
Farmer and president of the National African Farmers Union, Motsepe Matlala, echoed Venter’s sentiments, adding that Mabuza is already involved with the farming community in the province.
“He [was the] MEC for agriculture and land administration from 2008 to 2009 in Mpumalanga, and he is very passionate about the sector,” Matlala said.
Matlala added that Mabuza has done well in supporting Mpumalanga’s agriculture through initiatives like the Agri Unity Forum which has shown support to small-scale farms in the Northern Cape and other provinces.
The forum was formed by the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa), the Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa, the National African Forum Union of South Africa, and Agri SA.
‘He will have an impact’
“I know him as a focused person, especially with what he has done for farmers in Mpumalanga such as the large fresh produce market, and many agricultural projects. I would say he will have an impact on our agriculture in the future,” said Matlala.
The international fresh produce market in Mpumalanga was established in 2018 with Mabuza at the helm. At the time, Mabuza said the market was a critical lever to stimulate increased agricultural production.
The project was meant to cost R1.2 billion but ended up costing R2 billion.
Making a return to politics
While the Presidency remains tight-lipped about when Mabuza’s last day in office will be, from a political viewpoint, Venter does not believe Mzansi has seen the last of him.
Venter said while he may be venturing into agriculture, Mabuza could be making a big return to politics in the future.
“Politically I wouldn’t say he is a desert. If I was him, I would leave, go into farming and make a comeback later. I think he is a ‘cat-guy’ with many political lives,” said Venter.
Meanwhile, political analyst Cary Abrahams explained to Food For Mzansi that whenever there are allegations about someone being relieved of their duties, there is what she calls a “step-aside” rule that is formalised.
“This is one of the ways that parties use when they effectively want a person to be excluded from taking future positions,” she said.
The step-aside rule is an internal policy within the African National Congress (ANC). It requires that members charged with corruption or other serious crimes voluntarily step aside from participation in the party and government activities, or face suspension.
ALSO READ: Hey government, don’t give land and walk away
Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain.
