Sitembele Mzamane

South African Anglican bishop (born 1952)

The Right Reverend

Sitembele Mzamane

Bishop of Mthatha
Church| Anglican
See| Anglican Diocese of Mthatha previous Diocese of St John's
In office| 2000–2017
Predecessor| Jacob Zambuhle Bhekuyise Dlamini
Successor| Nkosinathi Ndwandwe
Orders
Ordination| 1975
by James Leo Schuster
Consecration| August 2000
by Njongonkulu Ndungane
Personal details
Born| (1952-01-30)30 January 1952
Previous post(s)| Dean of St John's

Sitembele Tobela Mzamane (born 30 January 1952)[1] is a South African Anglican bishop. He is a former Bishop of Mthatha,[2] and although the first bishop to bear that title, he is the 10th incumbent, since the bishopric was previously known as St John's.[3]

## Biography[edit]

Sitembele was born in Ngxaza, Tsolo, Transkei in 1952. His mother was Cynthia Sylvia Nozipho Dlwati and his father Joab Cornelius Mhlangenqaba Mzamane who was an agriculturalist. Sitembele was married to Hazel Tobeka Gobingca and they have five children, Sibongiseni, Nangamso, Batwa, Notabizolo and Sisonke).[4] His grand father Shadrach Mzamane was also an Anglican lay preacher in the Ngcele area.[5] After receiving a Diploma in Theology from St. Bede's College in Mthatha, Sitembele was ordained to the diaconate in December 1975 and the Priesthood in December 1977.

While Priest in Charge of St. Barnabas Manzana, he completed a Bachelor of Theology degree from the University of South Africa. In 1988 he was appointed rector of St. Peter's, Butterworth, Eastern Cape and archdeacon and served in that position for two years before being appointed dean of St John's Cathedral, Mthatha.

While serving as dean, he completed an honours BA from the University of the Free State (graduating cum laude), an MA from the University of the Free State, and a PhD from the University of Pretoria. In 2013 he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree, jure dignitatis from Huron University College.[6]

In 2000, Sitembele was elected bishop of the Diocese of St. John's.[6]

During his episcopacy the number of parishes grew so greatly that Mzamane drafted plans to split the area with a new episcopal see centred at Ngcobo.[7] The new Diocese of Mbhashe was established on 16 December 2010[8] out of part of the Diocese of Mthatha.[9]

## Views[edit]

A former Dean of the diocese's cathedral[10] Mzamane subscribes to the orthodox Anglican stance on homosexuality, and is opposed to the blessing of same-sex relationships.[11]

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Contact details
2. ^ Facts about area Archived 25 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ "News of renaming" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
4. ^ Bishop Sitembele Tobela Mzamane, THROUGH ALL TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS: If God be with you then who can be against you?. Blessed Hope Publishing (October 17, 2020). ISBN 6137905276.
5. ^ "Godfrey Callaway, Missionary in Kaffraria, 1892-1942: His Life and Writings". Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1946. 1946.
6. ^ a b "News Archive".
7. ^ "Visit to South Africa". Archived from the original on 7 August 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
8. ^ Ngubo, Immanuel B (2011). "Consecration of new Mbhashe Bishop blessed with rain". Umbuliso. Vol. 34, no. 1 (Lent ed.). Diocese of Grahamstown. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
9. ^ "Anglican Archbishop to Inaugurate New Diocese – and Commend Madiba's Birthday as a 'Day of Thanksgiving'" (Press release). Anglican Church of Southern Africa. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
10. ^ 1990-2000[permanent dead link]
11. ^ Beavan, Ed (30 August 2007). "SOUTH AFRICA: No same-sex blessings for Mthatha Diocese". Virtueonline – The Voice for Global Orthodox Anglicanism. Retrieved 15 January 2016.

Anglican Church of Southern Africa titles

Preceded by

Jacob Dlamini

|  Bishop of St John's
2000–2006  | Succeeded by

Diocese name changed to Mthatha

Preceded by

New name for former Diocese of St John's

|  Bishop of Mthatha
2006–2017  | Succeeded by

Nkosinathi Ndwandwe

* v
* t
* e

Anglican Bishops of St John's and of Mthatha

St John's|

* Henry Callaway
* Bransby Key
* Joseph Williams
* Edward Etheridge
* Theodore Gibson
* St John Evans
* James Schuster
* Godfrey Ashby
* Jacob Dlamini
* Sitembele Mzamane (became Bishop of Mthatha)

Mthatha|

* Sitembele Mzamane (previously Bishop of St John's)

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