South Africa's former deputy president Mabuza dies

Mabuza, who served as deputy president from 2018 to 2023, died in a Johannesburg hospital, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reported.

Analysts say Mabuza helped President Cyril Ramaphosa win the tight 2017 contest to lead the African National Congress that paved the way for Ramaphosa to become head of state in 2018, succeeding scandal-plagued Jacob Zuma.

A former schoolteacher and premier of the Mpumalanga province, Mabuza struggled to shrug off allegations - which he denied - of irregular tenders for a 2010 World Cup stadium and links to political killings.

He had not been seen much in public recently and had been unwell, SABC said, without disclosing the illness. REUTERS