South Africa’s David Mabuza, The Silent Force Behind The Power Plays

SOUTH Africa’s deputy president David Mabuza manages to balance being at centre stage of South Africa’s politics while staying out of the spotlight.

His political ascendency started in Mpumalanga – where he became provincial premier – and that period continues to cast a long shadow over his political career.

Distrusted by elements of both President Cyril Ramaphosa’s and former president Jacob Zuma’s camps, he seems to be biding his time and preparing a run for the presidency.

But in the meantime, Ramaphosa has tasked him with overseeing reforms of the electricity sector, a critical sector of the economy that has suffered from mismanagement over a long period.

Will he be able to outsmart his contenders and build up a constituency to take over the leadership of the governing African National Congress (ANC)? The Africa Report takes a look at the past, present and future of South Africa’s publicity-shy deputy president.