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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 79812, member: 636"] Brian Hlongwa, a former health official and ANC chief whip in Gauteng, has died. The African National Congress confirmed his passing after a brief illness. They called him a dedicated patriot and a skilled political educator. Hlongwa previously served as a councilor and a member of the mayoral committee in Johannesburg. He later joined the provincial legislature, becoming the MEC for Health until 2009. He resigned from his chief whip position in 2018 while facing corruption allegations. Prosecutors claimed he facilitated fraudulent activities worth around one point two billion rand within the health department during his tenure. Hlongwa consistently denied any wrongdoing, rejecting accusations of taking bribes from business figures. His trial, alongside other defendants, was scheduled to begin in April. The party stated his death represents a significant loss for their political training efforts. [/QUOTE]