The widow of a slain Mpumalanga whistleblower has accused the late former Deputy President David Mabuza of taking crucial truths about her husband’s murder to his grave. Her emotional remarks came after Mabuza’s funeral, which drew senior ANC leaders, government officials, and prominent business figures.
Mabuza, who died following a long illness, has long faced speculation from activists and bereaved families that he possessed inside knowledge of politically driven killings in Mpumalanga—often called South Africa’s “assassination capital.”
The widow, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, said her husband was shot in broad daylight after exposing a corruption ring tied to provincial officials. “No one has ever been arrested. For years I begged the authorities, including Mabuza, to uncover the truth. He knew what happened and promised me answers. Now he’s gone, and so are my hopes for justice,” she said.
Her husband, a municipal official and whistleblower, had reportedly given incriminating evidence to the Hawks before his death. While no direct link to Mabuza was proven, she insists he knew far more than he admitted.
Civil society groups share her concern. The Right2Know Campaign urged authorities to reopen unresolved political murder cases, saying, “This province has lived in fear and silence for over a decade. Many brave people were killed trying to expose corruption, and Mabuza was at the centre of that political landscape. His silence spoke volumes.”
Mabuza consistently denied any role in the killings or subsequent cover-ups, yet critics argue his tenure in Mpumalanga fostered a climate of fear and impunity.
As tributes celebrated Mabuza as a “man of peace,” the widow’s grief contrasted sharply with the national mourning. “They called him peaceful, but where was that peace when my husband was buried without answers?” she asked.
With Mabuza’s passing, many now worry that key details about Mpumalanga’s political assassinations may never surface, leaving grieving families without closure and justice still out of reach.