Durban — The late former deputy minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Bavelile Hlongwa's mother, Bukani Hlongwa, received her daughter's Doctor of Administration degree during a University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) graduation ceremony on Wednesday.
The university honoured Hlongwa by awarding her a Doctor of Administration posthumously.
UKZN corporate relations executive director Normah Zondo said the significant gesture by the university was in recognition of Hlongwa’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of South African youth and women.
Zondo said that Hlongwa was an active alumnus of UKZN where she graduated with a BSc in Chemical Engineering. When she died in 2019, she was reading for a Master of Public Administration in the School of Management, Information Technology and Governance at UKZN.
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Member of Parliament Fikile Masiko were among the guests attending the UKZN 2023 Autumn Graduation ceremony being held at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg. Dlamini-Zuma and Masiko accompanied Hlongwa’s family.
Former UKZN convocation president Fanle Sibisi also attended the ceremony
“Hlongwa is being posthumously honoured with an honorary doctorate at the event for her remarkable contributions,” Zondo said.
Zondo added: “Hlongwa will be remembered as a champion of youth development, women empowerment and transformation.”
Hlongwa’s sister, Lungisile Hlongwa, delivered the acceptance speech on behalf of the Hlongwa family, and said: “As a family, we are honoured to be receiving this remarkable recognition of BV’s commitment to academic excellence and service to humanity.”
Lungisile also said that her sister was a trailblazer who inspired many with her unwavering commitment to social justice and equality, and she dedicated her life to serving her community and country.
Recalling her unshakable tenacity and forthrightness, Lungisile said: “Those who knew Comrade BV might argue that she was cut from the same cloth as the great and fearless forebears of the African National Congress such as of Dr Charlotte Manye Maxeke, Gertrude Shope and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.”
Lungisile said Hlongwa believed in the power of diversity and inclusivity, and was a role model to many, especially young women who she constantly encouraged to strive for excellence, be bold, and take up space.
Professor Fayth Ruffin, Honorary Professor of Public Governance at UKZN, who came to know Hlongwa well as a student in the MPA programme said: “The more we came to know her and the more that she constructively challenged us and our modes of operation, the more evident it became that BV was a strong force of love and light.”
Hlongwa was a former student of UKZN and served as the first female Student Representative Council (SRC) president of the institution. Later, she played an active role in the UKZN convocation, utilising her position to empower students from underprivileged backgrounds. Her commitment to the upliftment and development of women and youth is being recognised at the ceremony.
From a young age, Hlongwa demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities; serving as the secretary of the Congress of South African Students while in high school and branch secretary of Ward 3 in Alexandra informal settlement where she lived. While pursuing her engineering studies at UKZN, she was elected to the SRC in 2004 and elected as the first female SRC president in 2009. She later served as deputy president of the UKZN Convocation where she advocated for policies to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In May 2017, Hlongwa was appointed executive deputy chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency Board; and in May 2019 was elected to South Africa’s National Assembly as Mineral Resources and Energy Deputy Minister.
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