01/12/2022
MINISTRY AS ACCOMPANIMENT: The Life, Ministry and Legacy of Bishop Newman Sazi Lukhele.
By Rev R Simangaliso Kumalo
The Methodist people of the MCSA are mourning the death of Bishop Newman Sazi Lukhele on the 20th November 2022, following the death of his wife on the 23rd June 2022. This essay was delivered as a lecture at the St Marks Methodist Church in Benoni on the occasion of honouring these two leaders on their ministry in October 2019. In honor of these two giants of Methodism we have decided to publish it.
1. The making of a Methodist Bishop: The Life story of Bishop NS Lukhele
Sazi, Newman Lukhele was born in Witbank on the 6th February 1935. His parents were Phineas Mdanyana Lukhele and Dinah Makhubela. As a child born out of a failed relationship he was raised by his grandparents Mr and Mrs Makhubela who were committed members of the Methodist Church in Witbank. Mr Makhubela being a local preacher and society steward and Mrs Makhubela, an ardent member of the Women’s Manyano and leader. Phineas Lukhele was a Swazi national whose father Aaron had been an evangelist at the Mahamba Mission in the 1920. Phineas was a teacher at the Dwalile Methodist School in Swaziland in the Shiselweni Region. Then he went to Kilnerton Methodist Institution for his teacher training. After qualifying there, he went to Witbank to work for the mines as a teacher. It was here that he met with Dinah Makhubela. Out of this relationship Sazi Lukhele was born. Then his mother and father separated, leaving him at the care of his parents. It was his grandparents, who introduced him to the church and faith. He remembered life at home and church:
“ I remember quite well that my grandparents were warm loving people. They were also committed to the Methodist Church where my grandfather was a local preacher and society steward and my grandmother a member of the Women’s Manyano. They taught me to carry the Bible when going to church, to pray and to be a door steward. I remember my grandfather’s sermons though not in detail, but he was a good preacher. At the time the minister in the circuit was the Rev HJ Lwana, the man who baptized me.”
In 1948 at the age of 13 years old his father who now married to a Miss Mokoena requested for permission from the grandparents to take the young Sazi with him to Swaziland as he was going back to take up a post and settle there. The grandparents agreed, though with heavy hearts but they released him. Phineas and his wife (Mokoena, Sazi’s step-mother) settled in Matsapha, where he took up a post as Boarding Master for the boys at Swazi National High School. Mrs Lukhele worked as a teacher in the same school. At the time there was no Methodist Church in Matsapha, but only in Bremersdorp (Manzini) under the Superintendence of Rev Dludlu. Mr Lukhele and his wife organized the children at the school for prayers which ultimately led to the establishment of a congregation which is there even today. Sazi became a student at the same school and participated in the worship group that was established by his parents. Of significance is that Sazi’s relationship with his step-mother was acrimonious from the beginning. She just did not like her step-son from beginning to the end. Of significance is that Sazi did not allow the lack of support at home to limit his growth and development in life. He marched on, using every opportunity he came across, until he became a leader in the Methodist Church.
2. The Call to the Ministry
It was whilst doing his standard 9 at the age of 17, in 1952 whilst listening to a sermon by Evangelist Ngobeni who was preaching on 2 Kings 7:3, that he felt a deep sense of love for the ministry and his call was born. He then made it known at home and the church that he was going to offer for the ministry once he completed his schooling. His step-mother’s response was extremely negative. She did not want him to offer for the ministry and went to an extent of requesting members of her prayer group to pray that Sazi drop the idea of joining the ministry. One of the reasons for this negative response is that ministry was not necessarily appreciated as a serious profession. This is because ministers were struggling financially, riding around on bicycles and horses. This may have been the reason that his parents did not support him. It may also be because the step-mother had no affection for him, so could not imagine him becoming a minister in the Methodist Church.
In 1954, he completed his metric exams and presented himself to the Circuit Superintendent, the Rev Dludlu for candidature. Unfortunately Rev Dludla was on his way out, he then deferred the matter to his successor the Rev Lushaba who was to arrive the following year in 1955. Rev Lushaba embraced Sazi’s call and began the process of candidature with the help of the Circuit leadership Dr Sukati, Prince Lomngeletjane and Mr Hlophe who were the circuit stewards at the time. The Quarterly meeting recommended that he be appointed to teach at the St Paul Methodist Mission School and work as a prospective candidate. In 1957 he together with Hamilton Mdubeki formally offered for the ministry under the supervision of the Rev Bolani who was the supervisor of studies.
The same year he travelled to Germiston, Johannesburg to appear before synod of the South Eastern Transvaal District (as it was known then). At the time the chairperson of the district was the venerable Rev Dr Joseph Benjamin Webb (JB). They stayed at Boksburg at Rev Dludlu’s manse. The following morning on their way to the Synod at the Central Methodist Church in Prichard and Small Street they got lost when the train took them to Boysen instead. The police arrested these two Swazi boys for being there without permission to be in Boysen. They spent the night in the cells and were found the following day and arrived at synod when the last candidate the Rev Kganane was appearing before Synod. Dr Webb was so sympathetic and pastoral to them during the examination and they went through as candidates. Their names were sent to conference which was to be held in East London where they went through and conference stationed Lukhele in Lesotho which was objected to by Dr Sukati on the grounds that he could only speak siSwati so how did conference expect him to minister there. Then he was sent to the Vrede Memel Circuit.
So in 1958 he started his work at the Vrede Memel where he worked under the Superintendence of Rev Mlotshwa. This was a very difficult station. In 1959 he was sent to the University College of Fort Hare for his theological training. He completed his training end of 1960 and went back to Swaziland. On the 1st of December he married Ms Nozipho Matron Lushaba, daughter of the Rev Lushaba under whom he had candidate for ministry. Again, his marriage was organized under extremely difficult conditions without his family’s support. In 1961, he was sent to work in Krugersdorp under the Witwatersrand Circuit which was between Krugersdorp, Germiston and Springs. It was under the superintendence of the Rev John Wallace. In 1964 he was ordained by the Rev JC Mvusi who was the President of Conference. From 1964-1966 he was stationed at the Barberton Circuit. Then in 1967-1974 he was based at the Nelspruit Circuit.
3. The Administrator of Methodist Schools
In 1974, he was sent to work as the grantee of the Methodist Schools in Swaziland, based in Mahamba Mission station but being in charge of all the schools in the country. At the time the minister at Mahamba circuit was the Rev Reuben Mthimkhulu. His work included managing the schools, ensuring the appointment of teachers, liaising with chiefs, communities and the government. He also motivated members of the community to build classes, teacher’s quarters and solicited funds from donors to support this work. His great achievement was when in his last year he raised an amount of R1.5 million for the expansion of the schools. He also motivated the development of pre-schools.
It was whilst in Swaziland that he worked with Bishop Mandla Zwane, of the Catholic Church, Bishop Bernard Mkhabela (Anglican) and Dean Hosea Mdziniso (Lutheran) to establish the Council of Swaziland Churches (CSC). Then in 1981 he was moved to Springs and the position of grantee was reconfigured and the responsibilities given to the three superintendents to be Grantees or Administrators of the schools under their circuits.
Rev Lukhele did not see any difference between colonial and independent Swaziland on the lives of the ordinary people. Development was still very slow and opportunities limited for the people. He also had to navigate the frosty attitude of the Swazi government towards the mainline churches.
I also noted that the royal house and Dr John June Nquku, who was the Secretary to his Majesty were more inclined towards the Zionist Churches and suspicious of the mainline churches. They had a subtle coldness and frostiness in the way they related to the mainline churches. This probably is because the mainline churches were brought and led by foreign nationals whose intentions they did not trust, whereas the Zionists were led by locals and embraced the culture of the Swazi people.
In 1981 to 1986, Rev Lukhele was stationed in springs. This was during the time of intense apartheid and the repression by the security forces. He remembers that it was also a time of confrontation between the young people and the apartheid apparatuses. As a result, people were thrown into prison and some were killed almost on a daily basis. This was a time of chaos and pain. He saw his role as that of accompanying the people through pastoral care that helped them to cope with the difficult situation of oppression and repression. I did not have to take the struggle to my own hands, I believed it was enough for me to support the people who were struggling against this oppression. I just needed to be brave in preaching the truth and lifting the banner of Christ.
‘I needed to be strong and brave for my people so that I enable them to live with hope and faith in the midst of this difficult situation.’
On the issue of identity when asked Rev Lukhele held both the Swazi and South African identities. For him he crossed the two borders without difficulty and wherever he was between these two countries he was at home and performed his duties through the Methodist Church but also with a sense of patriotism and national calling. He regarded his double citizenship as somehow a blessing for the church and for those countries. It was whilst he was at Springs in 1982, that he was elected as Secretary of Synod to serve under the leadership of the indomitable Rev Vivian Harris, who had been Chairman of the District since 1971.
4. The Call to Episcopal Leadership
In 1987 he was moved to Vereeniging at the Evaton Circuit. Then in 1988 he was elected as Vice-Chairperson of the District. This was the time when the Rev Vivian Harris had been appointed General Secretary of the MCSA and had to move to Durban. Harris moved in June 1988 to Durban and then Rev Lukhele took leadership of the District with offices at Northfield Methodist Church. So, he travelled from Vereeniging to the District Office on a weekly basis.
In 1989, he was then sent to St Mark Methodist Church in the Benoni Circuit, this was to bring him closer to the office. It was at the same year that the title of chairman of the district was changed to Bishop of the District. That is when he started to work as Bishop of the district whilst serving St Mark Methodist Church. So, he was not a separated Bishop at the beginning. In 1993 he was separated as Bishop and then worked on a full-time basis with offices still based at the Northfield Methodist Church.
As Bishop of the District he worked very well with his ministers and the congregations. Looking back to those years he noted that:
I saw my contribution as ‘building bridges’ between blacks and whites, because this is the focus of the Methodist Church. There was always confrontation between the whites and the blacks, be it the clergy or the laity, at circuit or Synod level. I saw my role as that of building relationships. For me this is the role of a pastor of the people. Building relationships amongst people. So, I saw this as my focus or special ministry as a leader of the Methodist Church.
Bishop Lukhele retired in 1997 after serving for a period of nine years as Bishop and Forty-two years as a minister. He remembers that by saying:
“ In 1998 after retirement I went back to Swaziland, where I built a house for myself and my family at the Mahamba Mission Station. I helped there as a supernumerary by taking preaching appointments and chaired a committee for the building of a clinic and helped with the building of the new church there under the superintendence of the Rev Margaret Dlamini, the first Swazi woman to be ordained in the Methodist Church.”
“ I had hoped to retire there quietly. Later I realized that life would be better and much easier if I moved back to the country of my birth, where I had spent most of my life and ministry. Swaziland had become strange to me. I also needed to be closer to my children.”
5. Handing Over the Baton
In my conversation with the Rev Lukhele, I asked him for words of wisdom for younger ministers. What would he say to us if he were given an opportunity to talk to younger ministers on the ministry? These are the words of advice to younger ministers looking at the ministry today and also to the future.
He said that:
“Ministers must learn to be flexible and never be rigid, for if they do that, they will break. This means accepting the changes that we are confronted with as we minister as long as they are consistent with the gospel of Christ. Doctrines of the church are secondary, what is primary for me is the gospel of Christ. Rigidity means being totally negative to whatsoever development we see in the church or ministry.”
Secondly, he went on to say that:
“Ministers must also be focused. For instance, when I offered for the ministry there was no woman minister. Now things are changing. Others are not convinced that things will be ok with the election and leadership of women. Now things are changing and we need to learn to accept and respect the leadership of women that is what I mean by being focused, flexible and not rigid.”
The church is not standing still, but it is rather marching on to a new era. An era where all God’s children will be able to exercise their ministry that God has called them to. An era where no one will be discriminated based on where they come from, who their parents are, and what sexual orientation are they. An era where ministry is going to restore the dignity of our people, not to take it away. An era where ministry is accompanying people as they seek to be the best they can be. A ministry of empowerment. It is waiting for us there in the future.
The Lukhele’s of this world saw and practiced it.
After returning from Swaziland Bishop Lukhele stayed in the Kempton Park-Midrand area. Life was not easy for him and his sickly wife.
6. Bishop Lukhele as seen by others
1. The Rev Simphiwe Mthembu, created space for this supernumerary minister to work with him in the church in Kempton Park Methodist Church in order for the church to continue supporting him. Remembering him the Rev Mthembu said that:
Bishop Lukhele loved Jesus, and he believed the gospel. He was an epitome of humility and servant-leadership. Ubuntu bakhe was the source of his ministry.
2. The Rev Ntsikelelo Zabeko organized a lecture to honour Bishop Lukhele in St Marks Benoni and the Boardroom of the Church was named after Rev Lukhele. Reflecting on the life and legacy of the Bishop Newman Sazi Lukhele some Ministers had this to say:
“He was a real father of the Methodist Church and Mrs Lukhele a real mother. We are poorer without them. It’s a pity life was not easy nor kind to them towards the end. Truly they are now resting in their Master’s bosom. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken, blessed be the name of the Lord.”
3. Rev Magkore Madibo said that:
“He was one of the finest and humble pastors, I had the privilege to work with. Always ready to serve and listen to your side of the story as a minister.”
4. Philip Shongwe:
“ I was very proud of the fact that he was the first Swazi to become a Bishop in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. In over a century since Methodism was established in that country no Swazi had grown into the high offices of our church but he did and I looked up to him.”
5. Rev Smanga Bosman wrote:
“ He was one of those bishops who gave dignity to our church. I admired him very much.
6. The Rev Musi Losaba, Director of the Mission Unit remembered Bishop Lukhele by saying that:
“ I new this father from a distance but I always marvelled at his stature, dignity and the way he commanded respect. I also found him to be the only leader at the level of bishop who cherished the role of the Independent Order of true Templars and found it to be relevant and critical for the ministry of the church.”
May the souls of both Bishop Newman Sazi Lukhele and Nozipho Matron Lukhele (ne Lushaba) rest in everlasting peace and rise in glory when the time comes. Many Methodist people are grateful for their ministry and service to God’s church.
