Prop. Koyingana is from the Mpondo clan in the Transkei, Eastern Cape.
“I was born on the 8th of May 1982 at Richmond Cape (Northern Cape) hospital,” he says. “My mother is Dinah Faniswa and my father is Gilbert Mayaya. I acquired my primary education at Ikhaya Primary School (Richmond Cape) and Primêre Skool Carel van Zyl (Carnarvon). I received my secondary education at Richmond High School and Manzomthombo Senior Secondary School at Mfuleni, Cape Town.
“I then advanced my education in plant production obtained at Elsenburg Agricultural Institute. I also acquired qualifications at the West Coast College for Carpentry and Community House Building. I was then trained and qualified as a professional assessor, facilitator and moderator which led me to establish Nyakhamo Contractors which, along with Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) initiated learnership projects for township youth. I played a crucial role in ensuring that township youth gain access to education, practical skills and employment.
“As a child I was influenced by Rev. Monwabisi Nqiwa who was a radio presenter at Mhlobo Wenene fm. I enjoyed the show because of the Christian music he played which instilled the love for church choral music. I was also influenced by Dr Alan Boesak who as a Christian leader spoke openly against apartheid. An unforgettable moment was when he visited Richmond during the apartheid years to deliver a very powerful speech to a hall filled with people which I managed to be part of as a young boy.
“As a teenager I was strongly influenced by my late pastor Rev. Samuel Nyatyowa because of the roles he would assign me to play which were meant to be practices by deacons such as collection of offering at a Sunday church service. It really made me feel very special as a young boy. After finishing my catechism I was still thirsty for learning about my church so I voluntarily took more lessons. Rev. Nyatyowa made a special certificate just for me alone when honouring me with a diploma in catechism. Even when my shack burnt to ashes in 2003, the diploma is the only thing that did not burnt and that made me realise that God has a serious plan for me in terms of ministry.
“I continue as a student to listen to other theologians who play a remarkable role in transforming society, one of them being the late Prof. Vuyani Vellem. I cannot forget Dr Eddie Orsmond with whom I still have an unfinished business but his love for church unity made an immense impact at the theological faculty and gave hope for a united church in the near future.
“I am Christian because apart from being raised by Christian parents, I also made a personal confession to become a follower of Christ from a young age. Furthermore, beside the fact that my mother was a Sunday school teacher, she was my Biblical teacher as well, ensuring that as a child I never went to sleep without listening to a Bible story or reading a Bible verse. I believed in the message of the Bible from an early age. Moreover, my church leaders encouraged us as youth to take part in church activities and that groomed me into a young man, passionate about the gospel and my church.
“My decision to become a pastor did not come as an event but as a process with various elements that developed the process into fruition. Firstly, the level of investment that was impacted by my church leaders and fellow congregants shaped me into being the person that I am today. I must say I come from a rich background in terms of church ministry, especially evangelism. I am fortunate to have seen the late evangelist Nene who played a central role in establishing the first church in Mfuleni (DRCSA) which is the mother of all churches in Mfuleni. From a young age I took a conscious decision to equip myself with church tradition and doctrine which is why even as a CYM member I also attended CMM gatherings. My decision to become a pastor was a response to a calling from above in inviting others to God’s kingdom and ensuring that the earthly church maintains it’s mission of demonstrating God’s love for all humanity. I have a strong passion for church unity, that is a vision of church without racism or any form of discrimination. I want to lead the people to the Cross where righteousness and justice prevails.
“My thesis for the final year was entitled ‘Eucharistic justice’ which aimed at describing The Lord’s Supper as a Table of unity where all are equal. The study exacerbated the importance of understanding church rituals particularly the Eucharist not as irrelevant tradition that have no place in the present but as a building block of our faith that continue to guide the manner we do church ministry. Eucharist is a meal of justice which demands our partaking to be propelled by eagerness to do justice among one another. South African apartheid system gained it’s wheels from DRC leaders who misused and abused the sacredness of the meal to advance unholy motives and thus the church needs to reinterpret the significance of Eucharist through the lens of justice which aims at siding with the wronged.
“My hobbies are physical exercising and singing gospel music. I grew up singing for various choirs at school, also sang in church choirs and was also part of establishing the ‘Children of God Gospel Choir’ in Richmond while I was 14 years old, and the choir managed to record and release it’s music.
“My interest is in business. I am a director of a company which facilitates learnerships for youth in Mfuleni’s surrounding townships. Furthermore, I am also involved selling Kasie take away food. (During my final year I brought my food for students at the faculty and it was always sold out because students enjoyed the taste and said the price was too cheap given the ingredients that gave it good quality.) I am also managing a car wash and a Kasi business located at Mfuleni township in Cape Town. I have a strong interest in helping other local entrepreneurs grow their businesses hence renting a hall to host business presentations for clients such as Inuka, Avon, IFA and various churches that utilize our premises for church activities.
“I am not married as yet but planning to do so very soon. I am at a mature age to tie the knot after various commitments such as studies that required serious attention and focus. At the moment, I am staying with my 11 year old boy whose mother have passed on.
“My dreams for the Church is that of being instruments of change and transformation in our local communities. South Africa is regarded as one of the most unequal countries in the world between rich and poor and thus I have a dream that congregations must play an active role in equipping people with skills in business management and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, people need to be taught to become productive in places of work and studies.
“Another vital component of community building is family. I think local churches have a role to play in strengthening family to ensure we have a better society. Last but not least, the quest for a non-racial, and non-sexist country still continues. Women need to be empowered in order to advance the cause of freedom. I therefore feel that as a Church we have a crucial role to play in realising this mission.
“For my future congregation, my dream is to be part of the team that take the baton forward in recovering what had been lost during the Covid19 pandemic. I surely know that life is short, but being a minister of the Word in such a time requires hard work and sacrifice. For that I am willing to give the remaining days of my life to be part of the team that take the Church to a higher level.