Bavelile Hlongwa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bavelile Hlongwa
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| Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy | |
| In office 30 May 2019 – 13 September 2019 |
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| President | Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Preceded by | Post created |
| Succeeded by | Nobuhle Nkabane |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 22 May 2019 – 13 September 2019 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa
14 April 1981 Umzinto, South Africa |
| Died | 13 September 2019 (aged 38) Hammanskraal, South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Alma mater | University of KwaZulu-Natal |
Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa (born 14 April 1981 – died 13 September 2019) was a talented South African chemical engineer and politician. She came from KwaZulu-Natal and was a member of the African National Congress (ANC) political party. From May 2019 until her passing in September 2019, she served as the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy. She was also a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa.
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Early Life and Education
Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa was born on 14 April 1981 in Umzinto, a town in South Africa. She started primary school in 1989 and finished high school in 2000.
University Studies
Hlongwa went to the University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College campus. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. While studying, she was very active in student groups. She also joined the ANC Youth League. At the time of her death, she was working on a master's degree in public administration.
Early Career and Leadership Roles
Bavelile Hlongwa held many important leadership positions. In 1999, she was part of the Local Community Development Committee. She was elected to the South African Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2011. In 2013, she became the treasurer for this group.
She started her career as a chemical engineer at Shell Downstream SA. From 2011 to 2013, she worked as an engineer. Later, from 2013 to 2015, she was a production engineer at Sapref. She also worked as a gas scheduler there from 2016 to 2017.
In 2017, Hlongwa was appointed as the executive deputy chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency board. She also served on the board of the Dube Trade Port Corporation from 2017 to 2019. From 2018 to 2019, she was a board member of the National Metrology Institute of South Africa.
Political Journey
Bavelile Hlongwa's political journey began during her university days. In 2009, she was elected central president of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Joining the ANC
She was a dedicated member of the ANC Youth League. From 2013 to 2015, she worked with the ANCYL's KwaZulu-Natal branch. She was also part of various subcommittees within the party.
Becoming a Minister
In May 2019, Hlongwa was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa. She officially became a Member of Parliament on 22 May 2019. Just a week later, on 29 May 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed her to a very important role. She became the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy. She worked alongside Minister Gwede Mantashe.
Bavelile Hlongwa was sworn into her new role on 30 May 2019. This made her one of the youngest members of the South African cabinet.
Her Passing
Bavelile Hlongwa passed away on 13 September 2019. She was helping at the scene of a car accident when another vehicle crashed into the area. This tragic event happened near Maubane Bridge on the N1 at Carousel Plaza, Hammanskraal.
President Cyril Ramaphosa shared his sadness about her passing. He announced that a special state funeral would be held to honor her. A memorial service for Hlongwa took place on 19 September 2019. Her funeral was held on 21 September 2019.
