Former GP Health MEC Brian Hlongwa to be laid to rest

Former Gauteng Health MEC Brian Hlongwa is expected to be laid to rest on Wednesday.

Hlongwa, who died a week ago after falling ill, also served as the African National Congress (ANC)’s Gauteng legislature Chief Whip and as a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) in the city of Johannesburg.

In the early years of his political career, Hlongwa was a youth movement leader and organiser in the Soweto Youth Congress.

He also held leadership positions in other structures, including the South African Youth Congress, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and its mother body.

He was later elected to the Gauteng provincial legislature, where he was appointed as MEC for health until 2009.

He resigned as the ANC's chief whip in the legislature in 2018 amid allegations of corruption.

At the time of his death, Hlongwa was facing corruption charges after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report implicated him in alleged fraudulent and corrupt transactions worth R1.2 billion in the provincial health department during his term as MEC.

ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile will deliver the eulogy at Hlongwa’s funeral in Johannesburg.