I just solved some problems in my Django 1.3 app by using PyMySQL instead of MySQLdb. I followed this tutorial on how to make the switch: http://web-eng-help.blogspot.com/20
PyMySQL and MySQLdb are both database connectors for Python, libraries to enable Python programs to talk to a MySQL server.
You would normally never upload core Django files when deploying an app. If Django is working fine on your deployment server, you definitely don't need to change anything there. The DB driver is a step or two below the ORM even, and certainly none of the code you have written depends on which of these is in use.