Mosiwa Samuel Hlongwane (born 6 July 1962) is a South African Navy officer, who served as Chief of the Navy.

Early life and education

Hlongwane was born on 6 July 1962 in Frankfort, Free State (

Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...

), but he grew up in the Vaal Triangle in a small township called

Bophelong Bophelong meaning 'a place of life' is a township near Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1955 to house black residents who worked in Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging Vereeniging () is a town located in the south of Gaute ...

(

Vanderbijlpark Vanderbijlpark is an industrial town with approximately 95 000 inhabitants, situated on the Vaal River in the south of Gauteng province, South Africa. The city is named after Hendrik van der Bijl, an electrical engineer and industrialist. Van ...

). He started school in 1970 at Mqiniswa Combined School (Bophelong), he completed his Junior Secondary School in 1980 at Lebohang Junior Secondary School (Boipatong) where he obtained his Junior Certificate. In 1982 he completed his matric at State Senior Secondary School (Sebokeng).

Career

Hlongwane joined the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

and its military wing UMkhonto we Sizwe in 1982 and was trained in Angola and the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

. In August 1986, he was selected to attend the Naval Course in the Azerbaijan SSR where he specialised in Ship Navigation Command for a period of four and half years. In November 1991, he successfully completed the Naval Ship Command Course in Navigation and he obtained a qualification of Diploma in Ship Navigation at the Caspian Naval Red Banner College of the Soviet Navy in Baku. In 1991 he was appointed as Chief of Logistics of the two MK Camps i.e. Mgagawa and Kidete Camps in

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

. In 1993 - 1994 he participated in the Joint Co-ordinating Committee (JMCC) as a member of the Navy working group. Following integration in 1994 he attended the Bridging and orientation courses at South African Naval College and Maritime Warfare School. On 1 January 1996 he was deployed to as a learner on board the vessel. On 1 January 1997 he re-mustered to Maritime Intelligence (Counter Intelligence Section). On 1 November 1999 he was promoted to the rank of Commander and appointed as SO1 Maritime. On 1 March 2003 he was promoted to the rank of Capt (SAN) and appointed as Senior Staff Officer Operations Counter Intelligence (SSO OPCI). On 1 March 2005 until 30 March 2008, he was appointed as the South African Defence Attaché to the

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

(DRC) & The Republic of Congo. On 1 April 2008 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral Junior Grade (JG) and appointed as Chief of Fleet Staff at the Fleet Command Headquarters in Simon's Town. He was appointed Deputy Chief of the Navy in 2011 He retired on 30 June 2022.

Awards

Adm Hlongwane has been awarded the following medals: * * * * * *

References

South African admirals Living people Chiefs of the South African Navy People from the Free State (province) 1962 births South African expatriates in the Soviet Union UMkhonto we Sizwe personnel {{SouthAfrica-mil-bio-stub