TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR MANDISI MHLANGA: A FREE SPIRIT, A DREAMER, AND A TRUE SON OF THE STRUGGLE
The Swazi diaspora community is in mourning following the passing of Mandisi Mhlanga, a passionate PUDEMO activist, entrepreneur, and beloved socialite whose life captured both the spirit of freedom he fought for and the warmth he freely gave to those around him.
Born and bred in Manzini, Mhlanga’s roots ran deep in the vibrant community of Mbhuleni, where his charm, humour, and carefree nature made him unforgettable. A proud Salesian High School alumnus, he former classmates say he embodied the values of compassion, discipline, and courage that later defined his activism and his pursuit of a better eSwatini.
Mhlanga passed away on Tuesday after a short illness, his close friends and relatives confirmed. “Mandisi disappeared a few weeks back when he got sick and deactivated his social media accounts. He seemed to be preparing for the inevitable because he suddenly became difficult to reach.
His friends eventually traced him and took him to hospital, where he was treated before his passing today,” a family friend said, declining to be named as the family has not yet issued an official statement. From eSwatini, Mhlanga’s journey took him to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he continued to live boldly and purposefully.
In 2010, he launched a small but trendy clothing line known as Size Ngomesebenzi, which became a hit among Swazi university students at UJ, Wits, and Pretoria. His effortless sense of style, rooted in cultural pride and self-expression, reflected who he was; a free thinker who viewed fashion as identity and resistance.
In Johannesburg, Mhlanga became part of a close-knit circle of Swazis who combined activism, intellectualism, and community. He was often seen at social gatherings, always smiling, always surrounded by laughter, and always ready to turn casual moments into profound discussions about life and politics.
His friends, among them Zwakele “Sbera” Nsibandze, recall a man who could turn any gathering into a space of connection and reflection. Behind the laughter, however, was a deeply principled activist. Mhlanga was one of the founding leaders of the Swazi Diaspora Platform (SDP), an organisation that mobilised Swazis abroad around the cause of democracy and human rights in Eswatini.
He was active in PUDEMO and helped launch and lead branches in Midrand and other parts of South Africa. Businesswoman Ntombenhle Khathwane, who worked closely with him as the founding Chairperson of the SDP, described him as “a soft-spoken activist who shunned the limelight but was tireless in his work and firm in his convictions.”
“Mandisi never sought attention,” Khathwane said. “He believed in doing the work quietly but consistently. He was one of those rare people who combined humility with purpose. Even when meetings were tough or emotions high, he brought calm and quiet wisdom that grounded us all.”
Khathwane remembered Mhlanga as a dreamer in the truest sense not only of a democratic eSwatini, but of a better world. “He would talk about creating sustainable ventures for young Swazis, about entrepreneurship as freedom. He saw no contradiction between business and activism.
To him, both were about dignity and self-reliance.” Manqoba Nxumalo, who lived with Mhlanga in Johannesburg around 2013, spoke of him with deep affection and respect. “Mandisi was a brother, a thinker, and a soul filled with laughter,” Nxumalo said. “We shared many things when we stayed together. I remember nights of debate, and days of hard work trying to build a voice for the diaspora.
He carried light even in dark times. He made Johannesburg feel like home, especially for those of us still finding our feet in the chaos of city life. I can’t help recall on night we were out in Johannesburg with our mutual friend, the late “Kabza”, where, in his drunken stupor, beat the hell out of me, and later Kabza, because he wanted to prove just because we think we ‘have money’ we can control him.
We laughed about it the following morning because he has forgotten and that was Mandisi, very calm on the surface but boiling on the inside.” Nxumalo said Mhlanga’s humility and emotional intelligence stood out even in political spaces often marked by tension and division. He said their mutual love for Manchester United and Kaizer Chiefs made them bond beyond political differences.
“He built bridges between activists. The last time we met was in 2023, during a heated conference in Mpumalanga. He disagreed with our ideas and candidates, but he did so respectfully, with conviction and grace. For him, differences were not enmity but democracy in action. We remained in touch after that because he valued relationships more than positions. I mourn deeply for his lifelong friend Sbera and all his friends who were touched by his warmth and humanity.”
Back home in Manzini, his old friends from Salesian and Mbhuleni remember him simply as “Khabako”, the boy who never lost his smile, who always had time for everyone, and who wore his Manzini pride as easily as he wore his red Manchester United jersey. As tributes continue to pour in across social media and within Swazi diaspora circles, one thing stands clear: Mandisi Mhlanga lived authentically.
He was a man who blended politics and friendship, seriousness and laughter, business and activism with effortless ease. A staunch Kaizer Chiefs fan, lover of witty Facebook banter, and an easy-going socialite, Mhlanga embodied the essence of living freely, a reminder that joy, conviction, and courage can coexist. He lived as he believed freely, kindly, and with purpose.