Another sign Mabuza isn’t up to par

The fitness of Deputy President David Mabuza to perform presidential duties has once more come under scrutiny after yesterday’s National Day of Reconciliation address was delivered by Minister for Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa and not the acting president.

The celebrations were held in Kakamas in the Northern Cape and for the first time were not addressed by the president.

Since he took over as president, Cyril Ramaphosa has addressed all Reconciliation Day commemorations, with his first address in 2018 in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, then at Bergville KwaZulu-Natal in 2019 and last year in Cape Town which was conducted virtually for the first time.

Mabuza’s no-show in the Northern Cape was not explained and it did not appear he had other engagements, either. Instead, his office issued a statement in which he welcomed the Eskom interim financial report for 2022, which was released on Wednesday.

The report showed the power utility improved its financial performance on a wide range of indicators, including an increase in net profit after tax to the value of R9.2 billion.

Mabuza is the chairperson of the Eskom political task team. But as the acting president, he was supposed to address the nation, particularly with increased racial polarisation incidents over land expropriation without compensation.

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Last week, Mabuza was questioned by Democratic Alliance chief whip Natasha Mazzone about his fitness to hold office following his recent trip to Russia.

She asked if the deputy president was fit to hold office considering his regular illnesses and visits to Russia.

Again, when Ramaphosa took ill this week due to the coronavirus, Mabuza’s fitness to hold office was questioned. At least two political analysts said he wasn’t the right choice for future president of the country as he lacked statesmanship.

Prof André Duvenhage said Mabuza’s Russian visits were suspicious and were likely to have more to do with the controversial nuclear deal initiated by Jacob Zuma than sickness.

Another analyst, Prof Barry Hanyane said: “He appears to be someone who doesn’t understand what statesmanship is about. He is more rough and tumble, basic and perhaps with a streetwise understanding of what politics should be.”

Neither Mabuza’s nor Mthethwa’s offices responded to questions as to why Reconciliation Day was addressed by Mthethwa instead of Mabuza.

In his address, Mthethwa said that there would be no reconciliation and peace with gender-based violence on the rise.

“There can be no real reconciliation in this country, nor can we be a nation at peace with itself if the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide persists.

“For reconciliation to be meaningful, black people and black women, in particular, need to be economically empowered.”