In a career in journalism that spanned more than two decades‚ he wrote for the Financial Mail‚ from 1992‚ and Moneyweb. He also hosted a talk show on radio station Classic FM and owned a media company‚ Gleason Publications‚ publisher of DealMakers magazine.
At the time of his death‚ Gleason wrote his regular Torque column four days a week for Business Day.
Business Day and Financial Mail editor-in-chief Peter Bruce on Friday described Gleason as "an extraordinary journalist and entrepreneur".
"He brought a wonderful quality of mischief and sharpness to his writing‚" he said. "It made him many friends and many enemies‚ which‚ in any meaningful journalistic career‚ is as it should be."
Bruce added: "I will miss him greatly. We often clashed over the past 20 years but he was easy to forgive and just as easily forgave.
"I deeply value the work he did on Business Day and I know his always entertaining Torque column‚ which he wrote daily and without ever missing a deadline‚ will be difficult‚ if not impossible‚ to replace."
Gleason's first employer was Anglo American in Zambia‚ then still Northern Rhodesia‚ where he worked for 22 years with the miner's agricultural and industrial projects and as a mine manager in South Africa‚ according to his website.
From 1982 to 1992 he worked as a mining analyst‚ stockbroker‚ banker and coal mine director at various times.
Marylou Greig‚ Gleason's business partner at Gleason Publications‚ said she was devastated by the news.
"We started this company in 1998‚" she said. "Writing was his life. He was never one to shy away from controversy. We were a family here. He was a hugely generous man and he will be sorely missed."
Sarah Huddleston‚ a colleague at Gleason Publications‚ said Gleason was a great leader.
"I loved coming to work. It has been shattering for people here. I don't even know what the right thing to say is ... David was larger than life‚" she said.
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