FORMER face and ambassador of Palmolive, Joyce Simelane, has died.

Simelane, 69, died last Thursday at the Tshwane District Hospital after a long battle with cancer.

Her daughter Ann Ngutshane said her mother was a pillar of strength for the family. "She was compassionate and caring," she said.

She said her mother was also jovial and outgoing.

"I will miss her singing. Though she was not in the music industry, she had a good voice. I will miss singing with her."

Simelane also worked as secretary of the now defunct National Professional Soccer League.

In 1975 she left South Africa for Mozambique, where she joined the ANC and worked with underground structures.

Due to her hard work and dedication, the ANC deployed her to its New York offices where she worked as treasurer.

She returned to South Africa in 2007 to join her family.

Simelane is survived by her daughter, two sons and six grandchildren.

She will be buried tomorrow at Kromvlei Cemetery after a service that will start at 9am at the Harvest Christian Fellowship in Mulbarton, south of Johannesburg.