By Karabo Ntanzi
Bishop Dona Molaolwa knew from grade four, that he wanted to serve the Lord but being a Bishop never crossed his mind. His teacher, Mrs Moss, did not believe him because he was naughty and talkative in class.
A true Kimberlite, born in Mtshaza Street, Greater Number 2, Molaolwa received his primary education from Reneilwe and Boitshoko, then proceeded Tidimalo and Tshireletso High Schools and matriculated from Holy Trinity College in Pretoria. All his tertiary qualifications were obtained whilst working. The second-born son out of three siblings is the first to have a Doctorate in Theology from the Free State University.
Molaolwa grew up as an Altar Boy in the African Church. His home was a stone throw away from ZCC and Zion Church. Molaolwa and his childhood friend, Priest Ronnie Jacobs, from the same street would fellowship at the African Church and attend another service at Zion or ZCC every Sunday. Their lives were centered religious activities.
The two started a choir and called it ‘Bread of Heaven’, with the late Nunu Modise as the choir conductor.
Molaolwa was the Chairperson of Galeshewe Inter-church Youth Organisation. The majority of churches in the township affiliated with the organisation. His role models were Bishops Lobeko and Simanga from the African Church and Fr Duncan Mbonyane from St James Anglican Church who encouraged him to study Theology.
There was a split in 1979 between Sibeko and Simanga, the latter is the founder of the Reformed Evangelical Church. Molaolwa, did not follow neither but went to his grandmother’s church, the African Catholic Church, another fragment from the Anglican Church. Hence the similarity between the two, African Catholic Church adopted the Anglican Church doctrine as it is.
After high school, he started working at the South African Railway Services as a Telephone Exchange Operator and later joined De Beers as Security Officer while studying Theology part time.
Molaolwa was ordained on 25 September 1986 as Priest. His first parish was in Mamelodi, Pretoria, where he served for 18 years, thereafter he was assigned to Sebokeng, Evaton.
Molaolwa’s was inspired by his uncle, Bishop TT Naledi from the Anglican Church in Botswana to become a Licetianting or Marriage Officer. After obtaining the qualification and conducting wedding he realised that it was just a terminology, he was just a Priest.
He was consecrated as Bishop of the Centenary Diocese in the African Catholic Church in December 2018, overseeing 21 parishes in the Northern Cape and part of North West.
The father of two is divorced from his first partner and is now married to Thusang Nee Selebogo. The church suspended him because of the divorce and reinstated after an investigation.
The topic for his Masters was: “Historic Development and its impact in the Ministerial challenges in the African Catholic Church in the former Cape Colony.” He chose this topic to ascertain the origin of the church.
In 2000, he secured a contract position as an Independent Prison Visitor at Kimberley Correctional Service.
He is a qualified Adult Basic Education Trainer and was the Centre Manager at Lesego Primary School.
From 2002 until retirement in January 2019 he served the South African Police Service, holding various positions from Principal Chaplain in Kimberley to Captain Chaplain in Namaqualand. Then back to Kimberley at Human Resources Coordinator for newly appointed Senior Managers lastly as Commander for Community Policing.
The Bishop states that life after retirement is lonely, because the nature and demand of the job binds the colleagues, ending up socialising as peers. “The disadvantage is you only earn recognition while you are an active member of SAPS. When you die during retirement is like you never served the country, no salute, flag, cap, or anything that associated you with SAPS even the Chaplain cannot officiate your funeral,” he said.
Now that his got the time, his mission is to develop Priests because Theology was not held in high regard by the church until 1986, when a resolution was taken that no Priest shall be ordained without a formal qualification.
He also keeps himself busy by travelling, focusing on the church and intends to write his bibliography one day.
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