Hlengiwe Mhlaba’s biography: Her rise in gospel, awards, and more
I call the ring a ‘stop-nonsense.’ When most men see it, they turn away. A lot of them come for my money, cars, and fame. Otherwise, how do you explain this sudden interest? When I was a teacher, nobody wanted me, but now that I am doing well, people want to marry me.
Hlengiwe Mhlaba, a celebrated South African gospel artist, has had a unique perspective on marriage since gaining fame. The former teacher is not married, but she wears a ring on her wedding finger. She says it keeps men who are interested in her wealth away.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Hlengiwe Mhlaba is a former teacher turned gospel musician.
- Her music can be described as an African sound.
- She claims she has never been with a man in her life.
- She has multiple albums to her name and hopes to release more.
- She is a body-positive person.
Hlengiwe Mhlaba's profile summary
| Full name | Hlengiwe Mhlaba |
| Gender | Female |
| Year of birth | 1973 |
| Age | 52 years (as of 2025) |
| Place of birth | KwaMAshu in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| Current residence | South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Black |
| Marital status | Single |
| Alma mater | Immanuel University of Theology (honorary doctorate) |
| Profession | Gospel musician and songwriter |
Hlengiwe Mhlaba's biography
Hlengiwe Mhlaba is a celebrated gospel musician and songwriter. She is known for songs such as Sweet Jesus, Living Waters, Remember Me, and Sewakhile.
How old is Hlengiwe Mhlaba?.
Hlengiwe Mhlaba's age is 52 years as of 2025. She was born in 1973 but her exact month and date are yet to be disclosed.
Source: UGC
Where was Hlengiwe Mhlaba born?
The famous South African musician was born in KwaMAshu in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She resides in her home country to date. Her nationality is South African, and her ethnicity is Black.
The famous singer admitted to struggling with thoughts of taking her own life because of the abuse her mother underwent from her father. She struggled with depression as a result of watching the abuse.
Seeing my mother crying every day, and our poor background is what led to me going straight into depression. I spent a lot of time unhappy and always criticising my life until I decided to go for therapy.
Today, Hlengiwe Mhlaba encourages everyone to deal with their mental issues instead of taking one's life.
Educational background
Musician Hlengiwe Mhlaba studied in her home country. She trained to become a teacher. Later in life, she received an honorary doctorate from Immanuel University of Theology.
Is Hlengiwe Mhlaba a doctor?
The gospel musician is an honorary doctor. In 2020, she received an honorary Doctorate in Theology from Immanuel University of Theology International.
Source: UGC
Is Hlengiwe Mhlaba married?
The famous South African musician is not married. She has claimed that she has never had a man in her life.
Interestingly, she opted to wear a ring on her finger to scare away men who might have bad intentions for her. According to her, when most men spot the ring on her finger, they walk away.
Following this disclosure, people are curious about who Hlengiwe Mhlaba's husband will be in the future.
She added that most men pursue her for her cars, money, and fame. Hlengiwe Mhlaba said that men started showing interest in her when she became wealthy, which was not the case when she was still a teacher.
Even so, she would like to get married if the right man comes her way. Marriage is not her top priority, she asserted.
But, I have not met the right person with the right motives. Also, I am too busy to even think about marriage.
After learning that the gospel artist is single, many have asked about Hlengiwe Mhlaba's children. The gospel artist does not have biological children.
Career
Hlengiwe Mhlaba is a celebrated South African gospel singer famous for her Dwala Lami album. Before becoming a celebrated musician, she was a teacher.
Her style of singing and quality of music inspire one to become more attached to Christ. Her beginnings were humble, but her latter days have been significantly flourishing. Hlengiwe Mhlaba's Sewakhile is one of her most-loved hits.
Hlengiwe Mhlaba began singing at a young age when she gave her life to Christ. She continued to sing in her teen years and during her adult life.
Her consistency earned her an audience in KZN and Swaziland, especially among crusaders and churchgoers. As the years went by, Mhlaba's followers and fans increased.
Some of Hlengiwe Mhlaba's songs are listed below.
- Ziyamazi Umelusi
- Living Waters
- You Are Alpha
- Uyalalela
- When I remember
- Rock of ages
- Sweet Jesus
- He Lifted Me
- Umthokozisi
- Izigi
- Anybody
- Joy
- How I love Jesus
- It’s Me
- He Gives Me Power
- in the middle of the night
- Abba Baba
- Unamandla
- Yebo Nkosi
Hlengiwe Mhlaba's albums
Hlengiwe Mhlaba has released multiple albums, as listed below.
- Dwala Lami (2005)
- Hlala Kuye (2009)
- Laphalala Igazi (2011)
- Abba Baba (2012)
- Esandleni Somusa (2013)
- Blessings (2016)
- Edwaleni (2017)
- Sthandwa Sami (2017)
- Greatest Hits (2017)
- Jesu Uyalalela (2024)
In her music career, Hlengiwe has worked with different record labels, including Universal Music (Pty) Ltd., EMI South Africa, CCA, and Mhlaba Music and Entertainment CC. Some of the awards she has bagged for her music are listed below.
- 14TH SAMA - Best Contemporary Gospel.
- 1ST Crown Gospel Awards - Best traditional gospel Award.
- 2nd Crown Gospel Award - Best Classic of all time, courtesy of Dwala Lami.
Many people wonder how to download Hlengiwe Mhlaba songs. You can access them from verified music platforms, including Mdundo. Hlengiwe's songs can be streamed from legal streaming sites, including Mdundo, Apple Music, and YouTube.
What happened to Hlengiwe Mhlaba?
In September 2019, Hlengiwe got involved in an accident after losing control of her car. She was driving to a show that was to be held in Mpumalanga.
The famous South African musician was driving her Mercedes-Benz GL 320 CDI when the accident occurred. The accident happened in Melmoth, Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
According to the singer's spokesperson, her car rolled when she attempted to avoid an oncoming vehicle driving towards her. Hlengiwe sustained severe internal injuries and was hospitalised in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal. She said she was alive because of prayers and the grace of God.
Hlengiwe Mhlaba's death rumours
In January 2021, a rumour spread on social media about Hlengiwe Mhlaba's death. A DJ from a local radio station in KwaZulu-Natal shared the news on his Facebook page.
Hlengiwe and her family and friends received phone calls from people mourning the musician's death following the post. However, her publicist, Nkuleleko Khanyi, refuted the claims confirming that she had spoken to the singer and was okay.
Hlengiwe Mhlaba also took to her Instagram account to confirm that she was saddened by the rumour, affirming that she was alive. She also urged social media users to be sensitive to families before posting a sensitive issue on social media.
Trivia
- Hlengiwe Mhlaba admits she is baffled by her voice and admits that her singing style is incomparable.
- She does not have verified social media pages.
- She went to the Apostolic Faith Mission in her younger years.
- She enjoys reading in her free time.
- She has a hearty laugh and she enjoys telling and listening to jokes.
Hlengiwe Mhalaba is talented, filled with grace, and protected by prayers. Her songs teach, preach and entertain. She has stuck to her roots, and people love her for her authentic music.
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He has been making waves since his career began to soar high in 2015. Ntanzi has released hits, including Nasempini, I am Safe, and He is Alive. The gospel artist lost his mother at a young age but managed to rise against all odds life threw at him.
Source: Briefly News
Peris Walubengo (Lifestyle writer) Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 5 years of experience writing articles, researching, editing, and proofreading. She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019. The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course. She covers bios, marketing & finance, tech, fashion & beauty, recipes, movies & gaming reviews, culture & travel. You can email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
Cyprine Apindi (Lifestyle writer) Cyprine Apindi is a content creator and educator with over six years of experience. She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University. Cyprine joined Briefly.co.za in mid-2021, covering multiple topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She received the 2023 Writer of the Year Award. In 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: cyprineapindi@gmail.com
