Middelburg – More than a thousand mourners are expected to bid farewell to the late Ambassador Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu.
Known fondly as MJ, Ambassador Mahlangu passed away on Sunday, 24 August, following a brief illness.
Ambassador Mahlangu leaves behind his wife, Nomaswazi, along with four children, grandchildren and siblings. He will be honoured in a category 2 state funeral, where his farewell will take place on 06 Sept at Heroes Acre Cemetery in Middelburg.
He died at 73 years.
He was among the pioneering members of the democratic Parliament.
“We have been entrusted with the responsibility of accommodating 1000 mourners, which necessitates careful planning,” Mpumalanga Premier told the Highveld Chronicle during a recent visit to the family in Middelburg. “In our conversations with the family, they have shown us warmth and understanding. They recognise that Comrade MJ was part of not just his immediate family but also a larger ANC family before he created a new home with the Mahlangu family. They have embraced the idea of us coming together to support and comfort each other during this time.”
The Premier said Ambassador Mahlangu, a former chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP, “was a member of the ANC, and did not disappoint the people of Mpumalanga. He was a true Ambassador”.
A patriot with a distinguished contribution to community and public service, Ambassador Mahlangu, in a career spanning over five decades, epitomised humility, commitment to duty and a firm belief in the values of Ubuntu.
He played a key role during the period of South Africa’s transition to democracy, fulfilling a role as a bridge builder, facilitator and an ardent negotiator when he was a member of the Transitional Executive Council from 1993 – 1994. With the advent of a new and democratic South Africa in 1994, he undertook various important responsibilities. These included serving as a Member of the National Assembly representing the African National Congress and serving in several committees in Parliament.
From 2005 to 2014, Ambassador Mahlangu carried out his role as the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces with distinction and acumen.
Ambassador Mahlangu joined the Diplomatic Service in 2014, representing South Africa as an Ambassador to the United States of America until 2019.
From 2020 to the time of his untimely demise, he served as South Africa’s Ambassador to Kenya and Somalia, and as Permanent Representative of the country to the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON), which includes the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and United Nations (UN) Habitat.
In his diplomatic postings, Ambassador Mahlangu was a mentor to young diplomats and an astute, highly experienced representative of his country, effectively articulating South Africa’s bilateral and multilateral interests.
Family spokesperson Siyabonga Mahlangu said the family is heartened by the gesture of recognition of their father. “And we were looking forward to his retirement, where he could spend time with his wife and his grandchildren after having spent more than 40 something years in the public service,” he said.
Steve Tshwete Mayor Mhlonishwa Masilela expressed the municipality’s immense pride in the remarkable role that Ambassador Mahlangu played as the country’s representative abroad.
“What adds to our pride is the fact that he was born right here in our town, contributing to the community through his rates and taxes. While we celebrate his achievements, we are also deeply saddened by his passing; he was a genuine patriot, and both our country and municipality had great hopes for his continued efforts to improve lives,” he said.
