He oversaw the 1994 elections in the region as provincial electoral officer before moving into the Cape Town, and later Gauteng, whereby he was involved into transformation of the Department of Land Affairs, initiating and overseeing various rural equity projects. In 1996 he left to establish the Development Planning and Research consultancy, which undertook work in the planning, infrastructure projects, and natural resource management, with the emphasis on land reform, water supply, and sanitation, mining impact investigations, commercial agricultural projects and associated rural industries, and institutional restructuring.

In 2004, through Phemba Holdings (Pty) Ltd consulting division, Shongwe was involved in initiating  and conducting a successful feasibility study on the establishment of an agric-mining organic processing project today known as Bioswiss, a project first of its kind championing development of public private partnership in a rural setting involving offshore investors.

Shongwe has amassed a wide spectrum of knowledge both at home and abroad in social sciences, public relations, development planning, programme and project management and initiation of Agribusiness ventures, e.g. Bioswiss project of which he is also a BBEE partner. A candidate well suited to a challenging, vibrant and energetic team environment.