Hlengiwe Mhlaba

Hlengiwe Mhlaba is a South African singer and songwriter from KwaMashu, KZN. She was born on July 7, 1973. She decided to dedicate her life to Christ at a very young age and started serving at her church in the choir. Despite living a Christ-centred life, her upbringing was far from perfect. She grew up with an abusive partner. Witnessing her mother suffer from abuse led to her becoming depressed and suicidal. She credits God for helping her overcome her difficult past. 

In 2005, she stopped teaching music and focused on launching her music career. Within the same year, she released her debut album, titled Dwala Lami. Her style of Gospel was considered unique at that time and helped get her recognised. She has since gone on to release multiple albums and has won various awards for her music, such as a SAMA award for Best Contemporary Gospel. 

In September of 2019, she was involved in a car accident while driving to her show in Mpumalanga. 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. In 2020, she received an honorary Doctorate in Theology from Immanuel University of Theology International in recognition of her contribution to the Gospel industry.