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Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has expressed condolences to the family of the Secretary of Defence, January Masilela, who died in a car crash at the weekend.

Lekota and a delegation from the department visited Masilela's family on Monday, said departmental spokesman Sam Mkhwanazi on Tuesday.

Masilela died in a car accident along the N4 highway near Bronkhorstspruit on Sunday. It appears that he lost control of his vehicle. He died at the scene.

Chief of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), General Godfrey Ngwenya, also expressed his condolences to the family.

Masilela, who is survived by a wife, five children and three grand children, joined the department in December 1999.

As head of the department of defence, he played an important role in the signing of various international agreements, said the department.

Born in Middelburg, Mpumalanga on 23 February 1955, Masilela went into exile in countries including Cuba and Angola.

He was a Commissar (deputy commander) at the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) headquarters in Angola, and chairman of the Regional Political Military Council in Botswana.

Parliament's committees for defence praised Masilela for the role he played in strengthening the SANDF.

The Portfolio Committee on Defence and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence both described his death as "tragic and untimely".

The Democratic Alliance described Masilela's death as a "great shock."

"The DA learned with great shock of the passing away of Masilela, under tragic circumstances. We wish to convey our heartfelt sympathies to his bereaved family and wish them God's strength. We pray for their well-being through this trying period of grief," said the party.

The SA Communist Party described Masilela as a "humble servant of the people.

"Comrade Che, as he was affectionately known amongst comrades, had dedicated his life to fighting injustice and bettering the lives of the people of our country," said the party in a statement.

The 53-year-old also served as secretary on the party's Mpumalanga Provincial Executive Committee. "Our condolences to his family, friends and comrades," said the party's Malesela Maleka.

The memorial service and the funeral arrangements would be announced once confirmed by the family, said Mkhwanazi.