The bitter battle over the estate of late former deputy president David “DD” Mabuza has taken another dramatic turn, with his daughter Tamara Silinda returning to court demanding that administrators of her father’s estate pay her education and other expenses.
Silinda and her mother, Emunah Silinda, filed a fresh urgent application in the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela on Wednesday, almost exactly a year after their fight over Mabuza’s R44.7-million pension exploded into public view.
The latest application, which is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, September 29, widens an already sprawling family court battle.
Court papers list the Master of the High Court, Standard Bank, Mabuza’s widow Nonhlanhla Patience Mnisi and several of his children among the respondents.
Also cited are Jennifer Faber, Marthinus Jacobus Dewald Breytenbach and Paul Roos, who the notice identifies as estate administrators or curators.
The Silindas want the court to order the three to “immediately implement” orders granted by the High Court on February 3 relating to their duties in administering Mabuza’s estate.
Tamara also wants them ordered to “immediately consider and process” her educational expenses and make payment directly to her tertiary institution within five days of the proposed order.
READ MORE: Court date set as DD Mabuza family ignores advice on bitter dispute
She further wants the administrators to consider and pay expenses contained in an annexure to the application, which she describes as “immediate and necessary”.
Dispute over pension and marriage claims
The latest litigation adds another layer to a family dispute which erupted after Mabuza’s death in July 2025.
Tamara and Emunah previously approached the same court to prevent the payment of Mabuza’s R44.7-million living annuity to Mnisi, who had been nominated as its sole beneficiary.
Emunah maintains that she married Mabuza under customary law in 1999 and that the marriage was never dissolved.
The pair also challenged Mnisi’s status as Mabuza’s lawful widow and questioned a marriage certificate they alleged had been issued after Mabuza’s death.
READ MORE: ‘Wives’ launch court battle over ex-deputy president David Mabuza’s R44m estate
Judge Johannes Roelofse subsequently interdicted the distribution of the R44.7-million while the underlying dispute was being determined.
Judge’s warning goes unheeded
At the time, Roelofse delivered an emotional warning to the family, urging them to settle their differences rather than allow an inheritance battle to deepen divisions.
“Settle your dispute,” he told them.
“We have seen so many of these cases end in tears. The scars between family members never heal.”
Almost a year later, the family is not only still in court, but the cast of parties caught in the litigation has grown.
The new application names Mabuza children Mxolisi David Junior, Lindeni Innocentia, Mandisa Vanessa, Nkosinathi, Angela and Fezile among the respondents.
READ MORE: Naming minors as policy beneficiaries will result in more stress
Respondents given deadline to answer
The notice gives respondents opposing the latest relief until 4pm on Friday to file answering papers.
The latest application does not itself establish that the administrators failed to comply with the February order. That is the relief the Silindas are asking the court to enforce, and the respondents will have an opportunity to answer those claims.
The matter is expected back before the Mbombela High Court on Tuesday.
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- Tamara Silinda and Emunah Silinda filed an urgent application in the Mpumalanga High Court demanding payment of education and other expenses from the administrators of late deputy president David Mabuza's estate.
- The application calls for the immediate enforcement of a February 3 High Court order relating to estate administration duties and requests payment of educational expenses to Tamara within five days.
- The dispute involves Mabuza's R44.7-million living annuity, with Emunah claiming customary law marriage to Mabuza in 1999 and challenging the status of his widow, Nonhlanhla Patience Mnisi.
- Judge Johannes Roelofse had previously interdicted distribution of the annuity and urged the family to settle their disputes amicably, warning of lasting scars from inheritance battles.
- The new court application includes multiple Mabuza children and estate administrators among respondents, with a deadline for opposition papers set for 4pm Friday before the case resumes on September 29.
The bitter battle over the estate of late former deputy president David “DD” Mabuza has taken another dramatic turn, with his daughter Tamara Silinda returning to court demanding that administrators of her father’s estate pay her education and other expenses.
Silinda and her mother, Emunah Silinda, filed a fresh urgent application in the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela on Wednesday, almost exactly a year after their fight over Mabuza’s R44.7-million pension exploded into public view.
The latest application, which is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, September 29, widens an already sprawling family court battle.
Court papers list the Master of the High Court, Standard Bank, Mabuza’s widow Nonhlanhla Patience Mnisi and several of his children among the respondents.
Also cited are Jennifer Faber, Marthinus Jacobus Dewald Breytenbach and Paul Roos, who the notice identifies as estate administrators or curators.
The Silindas want the court to order the three to “immediately implement” orders granted by the High Court on February 3 relating to their duties in administering Mabuza’s estate.
Tamara also wants them ordered to “immediately consider and process” her educational expenses and make payment directly to her tertiary institution within five days of the proposed order.
READ MORE: Court date set as DD Mabuza family ignores advice on bitter dispute
She further wants the administrators to consider and pay expenses contained in an annexure to the application, which she describes as “immediate and necessary”.
The latest litigation adds another layer to a family dispute which erupted after Mabuza’s death in July 2025.
Tamara and Emunah previously approached the same court to prevent the payment of Mabuza’s R44.7-million living annuity to Mnisi, who had been nominated as its sole beneficiary.
Emunah maintains that she married Mabuza under customary law in 1999 and that the marriage was never dissolved.
The pair also challenged Mnisi’s status as Mabuza’s lawful widow and questioned a marriage certificate they alleged had been issued after Mabuza’s death.
READ MORE: ‘Wives’ launch court battle over ex-deputy president David Mabuza’s R44m estate
Judge Johannes Roelofse subsequently interdicted the distribution of the R44.7-million while the underlying dispute was being determined.
At the time, Roelofse delivered an emotional warning to the family, urging them to settle their differences rather than allow an inheritance battle to deepen divisions.
“Settle your dispute,” he told them.
“We have seen so many of these cases end in tears. The scars between family members never heal.”
Almost a year later, the family is not only still in court, but the cast of parties caught in the litigation has grown.
The new application names Mabuza children Mxolisi David Junior, Lindeni Innocentia, Mandisa Vanessa, Nkosinathi, Angela and Fezile among the respondents.
READ MORE: Naming minors as policy beneficiaries will result in more stress
The notice gives respondents opposing the latest relief until 4pm on Friday to file answering papers.
The latest application does not itself establish that the administrators failed to comply with the February order. That is the relief the Silindas are asking the court to enforce, and the respondents will have an opportunity to answer those claims.
The matter is expected back before the Mbombela High Court on Tuesday.
RELATED
‘Gagash’ Nonyane and wife now face 35 counts related to deceased estate fraud
