Joseph Tsubella - Online Memorial Website

Joseph Mahapu Tsubella, born in Marquad, deep Free State on 2nd January 2011. He is the first and eldest child of the late Jacob and Mameti Tsubella in the family of Eight Children.
Their parents ended up settling in Boipatong in the Vaal Triangle.


He worked for a short period looking after his sick parents and paid for his younger brother's Teacher College fees. After four years he went back to school to finish his high school education.

He completed high school education in the Sharpville and Hebron.

He then went to ST Peter's College of Transfiguration in Grahamstown. He was ordained in 1972. He also got married to his sweetheart, Mapaseka Maputle in 1972. Mapaseka was a Nurse near the ST Peter's College. They were brought together by the power of healing.

Joe, as popularly known by his peers, started working in Katlehong and Thokoza before going to Sakhile Standerton. They were blessed by a son in 1974 whilst in Sakhile.

In 1976, April they arrived in Ikageng, Potchefstroom, where a second son was born. In 1985, their third baby passed on as a still-born baby.

Rev Joe served the Parish of Resurrection for 11 Years, until 1988. He left Potchefstroom, Ikageng for Thokoza, ST Phillips. In 1990 they were blessed with a cute baby girl during the worst uprisings on the East Rand. Rev Joe and the family survived.

In 1992, the new Bishop, the Late David Beetgee, appointed Joe as the Archdeacon of the Near East Rand.

Archdeacon Joe, enjoyed his ministry and continued to spread the Good Gospel to far and near places, to the rich and Poor, educated and ordinary children of God.

It must be noted that, Rev Joe has been to UK, Israel, Jerusalem, Germany, New York, Angola, Mozambique, Lesotho, Durham (Scotland) through his gift of ministry. He was Politically aware and strategically involved whilst in Potchefstroom. He avoided prison or detention without trial in the 1980's.

He has been a leader of Black Ministers Forum, Member of the Provincial Advisory Committee (dealing with selection and recommendation of new Bishops in several Dioceses before he was elected to be one of them).

Prior to his nomination and election as the 5th Bishop of Lesotho, the people of Limpopo recruited Archdeacon Joe to apply for the Bishop position in their new Diocese. He obliged and let elections proceed without campaigning.
He was elected in 1999 September and inaugurated on 16 December 1999 as the Bishop of Lesotho. He worked in Lesotho for seven years until 2006 when he returned back to South Africa.

He worked as the Assistant Bishop and Archdeacon in the Diocese of the Highveld under Late Bishop David Bennerman.

Some of the achievements include working with the congregations, motivating them to:

1. Extended the church structure in Ikageng
2. Settled huge debts at ST Phillips
3. Started the process of building the church hall at ST Peters
 4. Strengthened Lesotho-Durham link for Social Responsibility
5. Played a role in the development of the New Structure - ST James.
6. Was in the fore-front of forming AMF Guild with Canon Ntseare and Canon Maboe.
7. Helped several christians to be confident and recognized for their spiritual gifts and future.


He has come a full circle. Started in Katlehong and finished in Katlehong after 39 Years of loyal service to God's Church and People.

This is the man that cries without crying when he preaches. Ba "Mmitsa se lallane"

"Go out into the World and make desciples"

Born on February 2, 1943.

Passed away on July 27, 2011.