Rev Dr Spiwo Xapile

Spiwo Xapile is the director of the JL Zwane Centre for Training and Development in Guguletu, a board member of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation and he represents South Africa on the World Mission Council. He is also a minister of the Uniting Presbyterian Church (JL Zwane Memorial Church in Guguletu), making it a priority to pay attention to HIV and AIDS and other social issues needing the attention of the church. Together with Jan du Toit he was awarded the State President’s award for community development in 1998 for a project in the former Transkei, where he was born. This cooperation flowed from a partnership Xapile formed with Stellenbosch University’s Department of Industrial Psychology in 1994. This partnership has been very successful: A community centre focusing on social and economic upliftment and care was built in Guguletu and they built up capital of R1 million towards running the centre. Xapile holds a Diploma in Theology from the Federal Theological Seminary in Pietermaritzburg, a Bachelor of Divinity Hons from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland), an MA in Christian Studies from the University of Cape Town and a Doctorate in Theology (Church history and church polity) from Stellenbosch University.