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Pathisa Nyathi
NASTY and adverse life experiences sometimes lead men and women destined for greater service to God and humanity closer to their calling. It certainly was the case with the Biblical Saul who was an avowed prosecutor of Christians. Nearer home, a similar experience irrevocably transformed Reverend Geoffrey Bizeni Mkwanazi’s life. Each time he got incarcerated in prison he emerged closer to his Lord and turned over a new leaf in terms of his chosen calling and dedication to serve the Lord and His flock.
After his promise to the Lord in the Newlands Remand Prison in Johannesburg, Reverend Mkwanazi turned to the Assemblies of God Church. Once he had embraced Pentecostalism, he chose to train as a pastor and thus attended the Spring Valley Bible School near Witbank from 1957 t0 1959. Also training at the same Bible School was Eleanor Linky Masombuka who was soon to become his lifelong partner.
He specialised in evangelising and pastoral work. Pentecostalism is characterised by, among other attributes, outpouring of the Holy Ghost during which congregants become ecstatic and begin to speak in tongues. Rev Mkwanazi did experience this spectacular phenomenon especially during services conducted by Reverend Alfred Gumede who worked closely with the charismatic Reverend Nicholas Bhengu and Gideon Buthelezi.
Eleanor belonged to the Swedish Alliance Church and she did, at some time, travel to Sweden. She and Reverend Mkwanazi were engaged on the 30th of September 1962 and five months later, they tied the knot. The groom’s side of the marriage ceremony took place in Bulawayo and Reverend Mkwanazi’s siblings Ruth and Christopher did attend the celebrations alongside their mother, Selina Hlabangana. The first child to be born while they were visiting Sweden was daughter Noliqhwa who was appropriately named as there was a lot of snow at the time of her birth. She would, in adult life, get married to Joram Ndiweni, Chief Khayisa Ndiweni’s eldest son.
The next child, Oswald Mandlenkosi, was born at Mpilo Hospital during their visit to Bulawayo. Eleanor Nops Nobizo came after Oswald. Now an ordained pastor, Reverend Mkwanazi served under Reverend Bhengu who initiated the Back to God Crusade. They attended Christmas Conventions in East London, among other places. That taking place during the apartheid era, it was not surprising at all that racial groups, Africans, Europeans, Indians and Coloureds attended the Convention in racially segregated tents.
It was Reverend Bhengu who established the Assemblies of God in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1959. The church was set up in Highfield Township. Reverend Mkwanazi went to serve the church in Highfield at a time when political strife within the nationalist movement spilled to the church. The Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) hived off from the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu) in 1963. Tribalism in nationalist politics began rearing its ugly head. As a result, Reverend Mkwanazi returned to Bulawayo. Some of the congregants in Highfield would demand, “Tinoda wedu anotaura nerurimi rwedu.” We want one who speaks in our own language. That was the time Ezekiel Guti left the Assemblies of God Church to establish his own called the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (Zaoga).
While Reverend Mkwanazi served in Zimbabwe, his wife Eleanor and the babies had remained in South Africa. In order to travel to Bulawayo to attend his father’s funeral, Reverend Mkwanazi did not obtain proper travel documents. Upon his return to South Africa, he was arrested and served time at the same Newlands Remand Prison where he pledged that if released, he was going to serve the Lord. He was subsequently deported back to his native country. His family followed later and the couple was reunited.
Once back in Bulawayo, Reverend Mkwanazi found fledgling Pentecostal churches, in particular those that were aligned to the Canadian Assemblies of God. The very first Pentecostal Church in Zimbabwe, the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) was established at Gobadema, south of Gwanda. The onerous task of growing the Pentecostal movement in Zimbabwe fell on the shoulders of Reverend Mkwanazi who was generally regarded as the senior pastor among pastors such as Mackenzie Mavengeranwa Sibanda.
Indeed, more assemblies were set up in Bulawayo: Mzilikazi, Luveve, Njube, Tshabalala and Pumula, inter alia. The church expanded into rural areas such as Gwanda, Gwelo (now Gweru) and Wankie (now Hwange). Then came a time when the church experienced internal strife. It was time for litigation and counter litigation. In some instances parallel structures were created. Interpretation of the constitution versus oral pronouncements and promises such as those made by the late Reverend Bhengu became central to the abrasive struggles. The schism also manifested itself in terms of age.
The younger and better educated congregants seemed to be at loggerheads with the elderly.
“Sivel’ ekudeni Baba Nyathi ngomsebenzi lo,” said the seemingly weary Reverend Mkwanazi during an interview with this writer. He was reflecting on the long and arduous journey he had travelled to get to where he was. The path was both rewarding and challenging. Fortunately, he lived to tell the tale which is immortalised in his biography, a biography during whose compilation he was kindly supported by his dear wife Eleanor.
By the time of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations in 2009 the energy sapping internal strife seemed to have subsided. There had been reconciliation and the church was able to stage the Jubilee celebrations in grand style at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds. There was pomp and ceremony in the midst of heart-rending singing by enthusiastic choirs. Among the singers was Zvakavapano-Mashavave. Beautiful banners screamed loudly, “Sivela Kude Ngomsebenzi WeNkosi: 1959-2009.” Eight years later it was time to celebrate the life of Reverend Mkwanazi, a life of service to the Lord. Reverend Mkwanazi left behind a legacy which, hopefully, those who are still alive will sustain, perpetuate and nurture to eternity. Ironically, it was back to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds that the multitudes returned for another type of celebration — to bid farewell and celebrate a life lived fully. It was not time for mourning. The preacher, ever energetic, created the spiritual ambience that characterised the services that Reverend Mkwanazi used to conduct. The challenge was loud and clear — an enduring clarion call, “Arise! Go and preach the Gospel to the world.” Amen
May his very dear soul rest in eternal peace.
Online Reporter
Sidumisile Mabena