He won bronze medals at the 1992 World Junior Championships and the 1995 All-Africa Games as well as a silver medal at the 1998 African Championships. Mdhlongwa competed at the Olympic Games in 1992 (both long jump and triple jump) and 1996, the World Championships in 1995 and 1997 as well as the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships without reaching the final round.