Sitembele Mzamane

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]

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	30 January 1952
Previous post	Dean of St John's

Biography

Sitembele was born in Ngcele, Tsolo, Transkei in 1952. His mother was Cynthia Sylvia Nozipho Dlwati and his father Joab Cornelius Mhlangenqaba Mzamane who was an agriculturalist. His grand father Shadrach Mzamane was also an Anglican lay preacher in the Ngcele area. 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.[4]

In 2000, Sitembele was elected bishop of the Diocese of St. John’s.[4]

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.[5] The new Diocese of Mbhashe was established on 16 December 2010[6] out of part of the Diocese of Mthatha.[7]

Views

A former Dean of the diocese’s cathedral[8] Mzamane subscribes to the orthodox Anglican stance on homosexuality, and is opposed to the blessing of same-sex relationships.[9]

Notes

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. http://www.huronuc.on.ca/news/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=1830
5. http://www.aberdeen.anglican.org/visit%20to%20south%20africa.htm
6. Ngubo, Immanuel B (2011). "Consecration of new Mbhashe Bishop blessed with rain". Umbuliso. 34 (1) (Lent ed.). Diocese of Grahamstown. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
7. "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.
8. 1990-2000
9. 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.