[4] He led the ANC's caucus in the legislature's committee on economic development and tourism until 1999, when he was appointed to the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council for the first time.
[14] He was re-elected to the legislature in the 2014 general election, ranked fifth on the ANC's provincial party list,[15] and remained in office as MEC until 2016, with environmental affairs added to his portfolio from May 2014 onwards.
[18] Mabuyakhulu's supporters claimed that the prosecution was politically motivated, given that he was viewed as possible candidate to stand against Zweli Mkhize for the ANC provincial chairmanship in 2012.
[6] Peggy Nkonyeni was also sacked and resigned alongside Mabuyakhulu; their legislative seats were filled by Sifiso Sonjica and Nomakiki Majola later in June.
[21] In January 2018, Mabuyakhulu was appointed as the interim leader of the KwaZulu-Natal ANC after the incumbent provincial leadership corps – then led by Sihle Zikalala – was disbanded by the party's National Executive Committee.
[22] He defeated the longstanding incumbent, Willies Mchunu, in a vote, and served under Sihle Zikalala, who was re-elected to the party chair at the same conference.
The National Prosecuting Authority alleged that Mabuyakhulu, then Economic Development MEC, had authorised the payments for the festival and had personally received a R300,000 kickback.