31 Jan 2022

Mourners from different places converged in Lobatse on Saturday to lay to rest Archbishop George Makhurutha of Bethlehem City of Christ Church in Zion (BCCCZ).

The 78-year-old clergyman died on January 20 due to a short illness.

Mourners included dignitaries such as Lobatse Member of Parliament and former cabinet minister, Dr Thapelo Matsheka, president of the Organization of African Independent Churches (OAIC) Dr Mookami Motlhagodi and other bishops.

Others included representatives from the five regions of BCCCZ in Botswana.

In a brief eulogy, Dr Matsheka said Archbishop Makhurutha was full of wisdom and touched the lives of many people who interacted with him.

He said the Archbishop wanted people to live in peace and love one another.

Dr Motlhagodi paid tribute to Archbishop Makhurutha for his lifelong service to the church of Christ.

He said Archbishop Makhurutha, together with his predecessor Archbishop Isaiah Stimela, led BCCCZ for a long time bringing many lives to salvation.

“His life was a seed to the community of Lobatse and members of BCCCZ.

That seed is now going into the soil and it’s legacy shall continue,” he said.

He also conveyed condolences from the OAIC International, of which BCCCZ is a member.

He announced that Archbishop Makhurutha would be posthumously awarded the Commissioner of Third OAIC Award together with other deserving brethren in May in Maun.

“It will be a symbol of their unwavering commitment to God’s work,” he said.

Archbishop Makhurutha started his service to church in the 1960s and later co-founded BCCCZ in 1974.

He later worked for government in the buildings department.

During that time, Archbishop Makhurutha established the church within communities he work for.

“He established congregations in places like Ramatlabama, Kang and the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts,” Mr Moipolai said.

He said Archbishop Makhurutha always worked hard in the church committee.

His son, Mr Moemedi Makhurutha said his father was so devoted to serving God 0that he did not care much about enriching himself.

He said Archbishop Makhurutha shared his possessions with the church.

Another speaker, Ms Maduo Kelosiwang said Archbishop Makhurutha got seriously ill at the beginning of January and was hospitalised at Athlone Hospital in Lobatse, where he later died.

Archbishop Makhurutha was appointed the BCCCZ Archbishop last year, succeeding the late Archbishop Isaiah Stimela.

He was born in 1943 to Mr Makhurutha Best Ndebele and Ms Kebe Mozanwa in Siviya, where he also went to school and spent his childhood.

He later relocated to Francistown and later Lobatse, where he settled.

He is survived by three sons and three daughters, as well as eight grandchildren and eight siblings. ENDS