He was appointed to his final government office shortly after the 2004 general election on 3 May 2004, when Premier Thabang Makwetla named him as Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Economic Development and Planning.[3][4] He remained in that office until 17 January 2005, when Makwetla announced that he had fired Mabena and replaced him with William Lubisi.[5][6] Mabena said that he had heard about his dismissal in the media and had not been given an explanation for Makwetla's decision.[7] Although Mabena was entitled to serve the remainder of the legislative term as an ordinary Member of the Provincial Legislature,[8] he resigned from politics later in 2005.[9]
However, he remained active in the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu), a Cosatu affiliate. He was Ceppwawu's president at the time of his dismissal from the Executive Council[10] and he was re-elected to that position in August 2008,[11] although his term in office was marred by divisions between himself and Ceppwawu deputy general secretary Thabani Mdlalose.[12][13] He also launched a wind turbine manufacturing company company, Adventure Power, based in Centurion.[9]
