The YARs in the 19th District are Moving Higher and Higher
By Rev. Gaborone Lesito, 19th Episcopal District TCR Field REpresentative
The Mangena Maake Mokone Memorial Conference Lay Organisation held its 34th Annual Convention on 16-18 August 2019 at Mt. Sinai AME Church in Mamelodi, Pretoria, South Africa. The Convention was hosted ably by the Rev. SZ Moremi and the Mt. Sinai family.
The Convention boasted well over 170 delegates, the Lay Commission Chair, the Rev. GP Lesito; Presiding Elders G.O. Motabogi and L.S. Moobi; and over 15 pastors in attendance. Of note was also an Episcopal Young Adult Representative (YAR) Sister Thabile Ngubeni who gave a motivational talk to MM Mokone YARs and distributed books to empower them in their leadership.
Ngubeni was born on 13 September 1985 in Qwa-Qwa, South Africa, and is the first child of Mr. Sello Ngubeni and Pastor Motlaletsona Ngubeni. She is a mother to Selekane Modise and a full member of the F.C. James Chapel AME Church, in the Thaba Nchu PE District of the Orangia Conference in the 19th Episcopal District, under the leadership of the Rev. M.J. Makoanyane.
Being impressed with her success, dedication, and humility, we thought it fitting to request her to share her profile with us. It will serve as an encouragement to many young people in the AME Church.
Ngubeni is an attorney and notary public of the Superior Courts of South Africa. She holds an LLB (law) degree from the University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa), as well as a Master of Business Administration degree from Monash University (South Africa). She further holds certificates in “Being a director” 1-3 from the Institute of Directors South Africa.
Attorney Ngubeni was previously employed as the Registrar of the Superior Courts, managing director, associate, and manager at Modise Modise Inc. as well as Moroka Attorneys, respectively. She is currently a legal manager at the South African Revenue Services. Her practice of over nine years specializes in constitutional and administrative law as well as civil litigation.
Within the Zion, Attorney Ngubeni has served as a member of the Episcopal Committee, when she was a delegate to the 2012 General Conference. She has served as a steward and trustee in her local church.
During her YPD years, Thabile served up to the Episcopal level. Some of the positions she held were Episcopal president for the Youth component of the YPD and later, the Episcopal YPD Financial Secretary.
In RAYAC, she served for over seven years at all levels of the Connection, holding positions such as 1st Vice President (Orangia Conference), Episcopal Constitution and By-Laws Committee Chairperson for two terms, and compiled an Induction booklet. She further served as Episcopal Parliamentarian for three years. At the Connectional level, she is Co-chair of the Constitution and By-Laws Committee, serving for a second term.
Thabile is currently the 19th Episcopal District Lay Organization YAR, serving for a second term. In this position, she initiated the Youth and Young Adults Summit at the Episcopal Level in the 19th Episcopal District in 2016. Subsequently, four of the five annual conferences have also hosted Youth Summits. Before this, she served as local and conference YAR, as well as a local parliamentarian. In this capacity, she developed the code of conduct for the 19th Episcopal District Lay Organization (NEDLO). She served as the 36th CLO Biennial Convention State of the Church and Nations Committee Co-Chairperson and presented a paper titled, “Diversity: Free Your Mind” in one of the labs.
A passionate human rights activist and articulate speaker, Ngubeni selflessly uses her talents for the benefit of the Zion and the community at large. She has written and presented numerous papers covering diversity in management, youth, transformational leadership, collaboration and inclusivity, organizational change, and various law topics. Her presentations are aimed at empowering individuals so they may be self-sustainable, restore the family fabric, and provide transformational leadership and mental emancipation.
Ngubeni is a humble servant of the Lord who lives by the principle of Ubuntu, justice, love, integrity, transparency, and accountability. When asked how she manages to do all this, she candidly replies that God has both prepared and positioned her to serve. Her motto in life is borrowed from the Dalai Lama: “Our purpose in life is to help others, if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”
Our Zion’s future is in good hands. Given the platform, young leaders such as this one are sure to protect and build on the legacy of Allen.
