Bavelile Hlongwa

Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa (14 April 1981 – 13 September 2019) was a South African chemical engineer and politician from KwaZulu-Natal and a party member of the African National Congress (ANC). She was the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa from May 2019 until her death in September 2019.[1][2][3]

Bavelile Hlongwa
Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
In office
30 May 2019 – 13 September 2019
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
Preceded byPost created
Succeeded byVacant
Member of the National Assembly
In office
22 May 2019 – 13 September 2019
Personal details
Born
Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa

(1981-04-14)14 April 1981
Umzinto, South Africa
Died13 September 2019(2019-09-13) (aged 38)
Hammanskraal, South Africa
NationalitySouth African
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Alma materUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal

Early life and career

Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa was born 4 April 1981 in the town of Umzinto in the previous Natal Province. She began her schooling career at Ncazuka Primary School in 1989 and matriculated from Sihle High School in 2000. She studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College campus and achieved a Bachelors of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering. While at university, Hlongwa became active in the ANC Youth League and other student organisations. She was pursuing a Master's Degree in Public Administration at the time of her death.[4][5]

Hlongwa has held various leadership positions. She was appointed to serve on the Local Community Development Committee in 1999. Hlongwa was elected to the South African Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2011, and, in 2013, she was designated as Treasurer for the structure. She was appointed Executive Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the National Youth Development Agency in 2017.[4][5]

Hlongwa started her career as a chemical engineer at Shell Downstream SA. She worked as an engineer from 2011 to 2013, and soon as a production engineer from 2013 to 2015 at Sapref. She was also a gas scheduler at the company from 2016 to 2017.[5]

Hlongwa was appointed as the Executive Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the National Youth Development Agency in 2017, while she was Deputy President of Convocation Executive Committee at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. From 2017 to 2019, she served as a non-executive board member of the Dube Trade Port Corporation. Hlongwa was a non-executive board member of the National Metrology Institute of South Africa from 2018 until 2019.[5]

Political career

Hlongwa was elected central president of the SRC at University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2009. She was a member of the ANC Youth League and worked as a member of the ANCYL's KwaZulu-Natal branch task team and was a member of various subcommittees from 2013 to 2015. She was a critic of the ANC Women's League.[5]

In May 2019, Hlongwa was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa. She took office as a Member on 22 May 2019. President Cyril Ramaphosa soon after on 29 May 2019 appointed her as Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, serving alongside Minister Gwede Mantashe. She was sworn in on 30 May 2019 and consequently became one of the youngest members of the cabinet.[6][7][8]

Death

Hlongwa died on 13 September 2019, when a truck ploughed into a previous car accident scene she was assisting with. The accident claimed the lives of Hlongwa and three other people. The accident occurred close to Maubane Bridge on the N1 at Carousel Plaza, Hammanskraal. President Cyril Ramaphosa was saddened to hear about her death and declared that a state funeral would be held for her.[9][10][11][12][13]

A memorial service for Hlongwa was held on 19 September 2019.[14] The University of KwaZulu-Natal cancelled its memorial service it was scheduled to hold for her.[15] Hlongwa's funeral was held on 21 September 2019.[16][17][18]

References
  1. Deputy Mineral Resources Minister Bavelile Hlongwa dies, Johannesburg, eNCA, 14 September 2019. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  2. Ramaphosa 'shocked and saddened' by Deputy Minister Hlongwa's death, The Citizen, 14 September 2019. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  3. Somdyala, Kamva. Deputy minister Hlongwa was assisting overturned vehicle when she died, News24, 14 September 2019. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  4. Bavelile Hlongwa: Deputy Minister of minerals and energy dies in car crash, The South African, 14 September 2019. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  5. PROFILE Ms Bavelile Hlongwa, www.energy.gov.za. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  6. Mahlati, Zintle (29 May 2019). "Ramaphosa announces his new Cabinet". IOL. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  7. Head, Tom. Ramaphosa announces his Cabinet: Here's the complete list of ministers, The South African, 29 May 2019. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  8. "JUST IN Cabinet reduced from 36 ministers to 28 - Cyril Ramaphosa". HeraldLIVE. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  9. Deputy minister Hlongwa to be given state funeral, EWN. Retrieved on 16 September 2019.
  10. Deputy minister Bavelile Hlongwa dies in car crash, TimesLIVE, 14 September 2014. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  11. President Cyril Ramaphosa on untimely passing of Deputy Minister Hlongwa, South African Government, 14 September 2019. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  12. Deputy minister dies in car crash. Retrieved on 14 September 2019.
  13. "Man involved in accident that killed minister Bavelile Hlongwa gets R3 000 bail". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  14. Bavelile Hlongwa dreamed of becoming ANC president, memorial service told. EWN. Retrieved on 20 September 2019.
  15. UKZN cancels memorial service for Bavelile Hlongwa, IOL, 19 September 2019. Retrieved on 21 September 2019.
  16. Zulu, Sifiso. Funeral of Deputy Minister Hlongwa to take place today, EWN, 21 September 2019. Retrieved on 21 September 2019.
  17. Ramaphosa, Zuma pay homage to fallen deputy minister Bavelile Hlongwa, IOL. Retrieved on 21 September 2019.
  18. Mitchley, Alex. Hlongwa died as she lived; helping people - Ramaphosa News24, 21 September 2019. Retrieved on 21 September 2019.
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