Mabuza matriculated at Khumbula High School and studied at the Mngwenya College of Education and later at the University of South Africa. He earned a certificate in education and BA in the respective institutions. Mabuza was a secretary of the Azania Student Organisation from 1984 to 1985, chairperson of NEUSA from 1986 to 1988, treasurer of FEP from 1986 to 1990, a co-ordinator of NECC from 1987 to 1989, and chairperson of the South African Democratic Teachers Union from 1988 to 1991. He taught at KaNgwaneDepartment of Education from 1986 to 1988 and he was a Principal of Lungisani Secondary School from 1989 to 1993.
Provincial roles
Mabuza served as a Member of Executive Council for Education in Mpumalanga from 1994 to 1998, as a regional Chairperson of the African National Congress from 1994 to 1998, member of the Provincial Executive Committee of ANC from 1998 to 2006, MEC for Housing from 1999 to 2001, member of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature from 1999 to 2001, member of Parliament from 2001 to 2004 and as a member of Mpumalanga Legislature from 2004 to 2007. Mabuza served as Deputy Chairperson of the ANC Mpumalanga Province in 2005, MEC for Road and Transport from 2007 to 2008, chairperson of the ANC Mpumalanga in 2008. and MEC for Agriculture and Land Administration from 2008 to 6 May 2009. He also served as a leader of government business in the Mpumalanga Legislature in 2007. In 2007 Mabuza supported Jacob Zuma's successful campaign to become President of the ANC while he was Mpumalanga deputy chairperson, and became a provincial chairperson afterwards taking over from Thabang Makwetla who was chairperson and who supported Thabo Mbeki's failed bid to be ANC President in Polokwane's national congress. On 10 May 2009 Mabuza became Premier of Mpumalanga.
Deputy President
During the internal election campaign within the ANC to select Zuma's successor Mabuza supported a rival of Ramaphosa but switched to support him at the last moment. On 18 December 2017, he was elected Deputy President of the ANC. On 26 February 2018, he was selected by Cyril Ramaphosa as Deputy President of South Africa. On 20 March 2018, Mabuza gave his maiden speech in Parliament and for the first time responded to questions from MP's as the Deputy President of South Africa. On 21 March 2018, Mabuza addressed the national Human Rights Day commemoration in Sharpeville as President Ramaphosa was out of the country on official business.
Scandals and controversy
Mabuza has been accused of corruption and involvement in tender fraud and being behind the assassination of political opponents while premier of Mpumalanga. In 2015, he was allegedly poisoned, but recovered, giving himself the nickname "The Cat" for his ability to survive attacks by his opponents. He had left Vusi Shongwe, the then MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison and now the MEC of the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, to become the acting Premier while he was off sick. In 2010, a large sum of cash, allegedly R14 million, was stolen from his home. The provincial organised crime unit insisted only R1,200 was stolen from his home and he later reported only R4-million missing. Mabuza has said that allegations against him are part of a smear campaign. In August 2018the New York Times published an investigative article that described Mabuza “as one of South Africa’s most dangerous. Nearly 20 politicians, most from inside the A.N.C., were assassinated in the past two decades, some after exposing graft in public works projects”. The article alleges that Mabuza built a network of political patronage in Mpumalanga by corruptly awarding contracts to build schools in the province during his time as premier, thereby building his power base within the ANC at the expense of the delivery of public education services by government. There have been persistent multiple allegations of his involvement in the murder of Jimmy Mohlala, speaker of the Mbombela municipality and ANC Youth League firebrand James Nkambule. The latest is by former butler to Mabuza, Jan Venter who was placed in a witness protection program.
