Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa

Methodist Church of Southern Africa

PRESIDENT

Ziphozihle Daniel Siwa is the current President of the South African Council of Churches. He is also the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa which encompasses six countries, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa.

Born in 1955, Bishop Siwa graduated from Nathaniel Nyaluza High School in Grahamstown
and between 1974 and 1985, held several administrative and clerical jobs before he was accepted as a candidate for the Methodist Ministry in 1986. Between 1989 and 1992 he read for a Bachelor of Theology degree at Rhodes University, majoring in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Theology and he then completed an Honours Degree at the then University of Port Elizabeth (now Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University).

Bishop Siwa served as Bishop of the Grahamstown District (2001 to 2008) and of the
Highveld and Swaziland District (2009 to 2011). He also founded the Healdtown College Trust, a Methodist school whose prominent alumni include Nelson Mandela, Robert Sobukwe and Govan Mbeki. Bishop Siwa served as a member of the Rhodes University Council and as a member of the World Methodist Council’s Standing Committee on
Education from 2007 to 2011.

Bishop Siwa believes that united Christian discipleship has the impetus to transform our
world into a just place with individuals who recognise and uphold the dignity and sanctity of all life; a people who respect and protect the integrity of creation; a people who through quality education for all equip everyone to fight all forms of socio-economic injustice.

Rev Frank Chikane

Apostolic Faith Mission

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Rev Frank Chikane is the Moderator of the Commission of International Affairs at the World Council of Churches. He is the current Moderator of the Commission of International Affairs at the World Council of Churches.

Reverend Frank Chikane is an emeritus pastor of the Apostolic Faith Mission of SA (AFM), former president of the AFM International, and chairs the board of the AFM Theological College (AFMTC).

He is the Visiting Adjunct Professor at the Graduate School of Public & Development Management (P&DM) at the University of the Witwatersrand, he is the chairperson of the following boards: Kagiso Tiso Holdings (KTH), DHL Global Forwarding SA (Pty) Ltd. He is a trustee and member of the board at Kagiso Capital. He has been a member of the board: at Scio-Bono Discovery Centre Centre and city power Johannesburg (as chairperson).

He is a former member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC), Deputy President of the United Democratic Front (UDF), Deputy President of the Soweto Civic Association (SCA), a Commissioner of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Director General in the Presidency, Secretary of the Cabinet, General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches and Director of the Institute for Contextual Theology (ICT).

He was involved in the development and promotion of the African Renaissance vision which gave birth to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). He also participated in conflict resolution processes in South Africa, Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zimbabwe.

Reverend Chikane has published three books: No Life of My Own (revised, 2012); Eight Days in September (2012) and The Things That Could Not be Said (2013), he has written a variety of articles for different publications.

Ms Nomasonto Eglad Magwaza

Ecumenical Service for Socio- economic Transformation

VICE PRESIDENT

Nomasonto Magwaza is a gender/feminist activist, raised in the Vaal Triangle -Sebokeng zone 13. She is a mother of two .She is passionate about socio-economic justice issues, particularly the movement of building and organizing women of faith across the region.

She is currently the executive director of Ecumenical Service for Socio Economic Transformation, chairing the board of Act Ubumbano. She’s a member of the Regional Gender task team under Act Ubumbano and has been involved in social justice work for over 13 years. She has a degree in developmental studies and a Diploma in Business Administration from VUT.

She has worked as a national coordinator for Youth for Work, and has also been the chairperson of Jubilee South Africa. She currently serves on the board of the Church land Programme and Benchmark Foundation. She is a baptized member of the Apostolic Faith Mission.

She has been involved in the Ecumenical sector for over 13 years as gender activists, development and training facilitator she holds strong views on women emancipation as a driving force towards economic transformations and social justice.

Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana

Ethiopian Episcopal Church

General Secretary

Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, a retired bishop of the Ethiopian Episcopal  Church, is the General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, spearheading its work to lead common Christian action that works for moral witness in South Africa, addressing issues of social and economic justice, national reconciliation, the integrity of creation, eradication of poverty, and contributing towards the empowerment of all those who are spiritually, socially and economically marginalized. In this context, he is charged with spearheading the SACC campaign  The South Africa We Pray For, activated through the Civil Society Manifesto, a product of the SACC-initiated National Convention of South Africa process. In this regard as General Secretary.

Bishop Mpumlwana leads the SACC in national advocacy and local ecumenical action of churches on the four pillars of the SACC campaign of Healing and Reconciliation; Economic Transformation; Comprehensive Quality Education; and Anchoring Democracy – a contribution to the promise of the post-apartheid South Africa: a just, reconciled, peaceful, equitable and sustainable society, free of racial, tribal, xenophobic and gender prejudices, free of corruption and deprivation, and with enough food and shelter for all; and for a society where each child born can grow and reach their  God-given potential.

The Executive Committee is responsible for managing the Council’s finances in accordance with sound financial principles and interpreting and applying Council policy in the period between National Conferences. It is also responsible for appointing a General Secretary and, if necessary a Deputy General Secretary.

The Executive Committee oversees the development and implementation of programmes, assists with raising funds and appoints sub-committees and delegates powers and duties to them. It is also responsible for the management of Council staff and, more generally, to build the image of the Council and foster good community relations.

The Executive Committee meets at least four times in a calendar year.

Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa

Methodist Church of Southern Africa

PRESIDENT

Ms Nomasonto Eglad Magwaza

Ecumenical Service for Socio- economic Transformation

VICE PRESIDENT

Rev Frank Chikane

Apostolic Faith Mission

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana

Ethiopian Episcopal Church

General Secretary

Ms Karabo Mambolo II

The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa

Conference Elected Member

Adv. Palesa Ncholo

Anglican Church of Southern Africa

Conference Elected Member

Mrs Ndidi Mpye

Anglican Church of Southern Africa

Conference Elected Member

Bishop Charles May

Anglican Church of Southern Africa

Conference Elected Member

Dr Andre Bartlett

Dutch Reformed Church

Conference Elected Member

Dr Gustav Claassen

Dutch Reformed Church

Conference Elected Member

Bishop Shadrack Moloi

CAIC

NEC Elected Member

Father Patrick Rakeketsi

Roman Catholic Church

NEC Elected Member

Rev. Esme Bowers

African Methodist Episcopal

NEC Elected Member

Mr. Thekiso Tlhacoana

NEC Elected Member

Ms. Jessie Kgoroeadira

NEC Elected Member