Described by his relatives as a humble man, Mr Mnguni was lauded a local hero after being the first-ever black flight inspector in South Africa.
The community was left in shock after learning of his sudden death in a plane crash that took place in Mossel Bay on 23 January.

Mr Mnguni, born and raised in Mhluzi, died alongside Captain Thabiso Tolo (49) and female First Officer Tebogo Lekalakala (33) when a flight inspection unit aircraft crashed into the mountainous terrain, during a calibration of the airport’s navigation system.

Mr Mnguni and his siblings, older brother Themba and younger sister Lebogang, were raised by their single mother Meisie, who made a living selling furniture.

The late Mr Mnguni will be laid to rest this Saturday after council gave special consent for him to be buried in the Heroes Acre Cemetery in Gholfsig. Proceedings will start with a church service at the Alliance Church in Mhluzi, starting from 07:30.

Funeral-goers will then depart to the Heroes Acre Cemetery at 10:30 after which lunch will be held at Mr Mnguni’s family home in 399 Makuse Street.

• Flight inspector Mnguni attended Manyano and Tshwenyane Primary and matriculated at Sozama Secondary.

Mr Mnguni obtained a national diploma in electrical engineering at the University of Johannesburg in 2005, followed by a diploma in project management at UNISA in 2011, his flight inspection CARNAC 30 certificate at the DTI in France in 2012, a qualification in basic Pans-Ops flight procedure design at Airsight in Germany in 2017, and finally a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at UNISA in 2018.

He had 1 300 flying hours to his credit at the time of his untimely passing.