Hlongwa – who was appointed deputy minister of mineral resources and energy in May 2019 – died in a car crash on the N1 from Polokwane on Friday.

Prior to her appointment, she served as executive deputy chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency.

She studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Howard College, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in chemical engineering. She started her career at Shell Downstream SA.

Hlongwa would be honoured with an official funeral category two in line with government’s state, official, and provincial funeral policy. The president had further directed that the national flag fly at half-mast at every flag station in the country until the deputy minister's funeral, the presidency said.

South Africans are invited to pay their respects to the late deputy minister by signing the condolence books which are placed at the Union Buildings, at the Hlongwa family home at 307 Bartley Road, Umbilo, and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Her funeral service will take place on Saturday at the Durban International Convention Centre, the service is open for the public.

ANA