In Memory of Siyabonga "Bob" Magubane

Hi friends, we are raising funds to honour the memory of our dear friend Bob and to support his wife and son, Norma and Arthur.

In early 2022, Siyabonga Magubane, or “Bob” as he very humbly asked people to call him, decided to give his heart to Jesus Christ. His faith was proven true when Siya made the decision to build a church/community center on his small plot of land for the people staying in Lakeview, near Johannesburg, South Africa.

Siya had an incredible vision and the hard work to back it. His love for Jesus and the people in Lakeview fueled the construction of this church.

In the time we had working alongside Siya in the construction of this building – more like watching his amazing talent in action – we could uncover who he truly was. Often people are attributed with the traits of kindness, gentleness, humility and joy, but Siya embodied them, unlike anyone I have ever seen. With his infectious, joyous smile he quickly crept into our hearts and the hearts of those we introduced to him.

After some time went by and the structure was almost halfway completed, we had the honor of hearing his first sermon. The building was silent and everyone there was hanging onto his every word. I may not have understood the language he preached in, but I saw the powerful impact of his message through the wide eyes of the children sitting quietly and watching. He spoke with authority that could have only been given to him by God, and this was demonstrated through how infectious his love for Jesus was.

On the 13th of January 2023, we received an unexpected phone call from Siya’s close friend. Now, Siya, being the provider for his family, took a construction job quite a distance away from his home in Lakeview. A job that he quickly became the Project Manager of, whilst also managing to start a bible study group with the other workers.

However, Siya was tragically shot and killed on that Friday during a highjacking, whilst driving his boss to get building materials. His lovely wife Norma and bright baby boy Sibusiso (also called Arthur) were comforted by the tight-knit community of Lakeview. However, his family, the community and the many others he so powerfully impacted have been left utterly devastated and without means.

Please join us as we stand united in prayer for Siya’s family and the Lakeview Community at this very difficult time.

If you can offer financial support, you can also partner with us by contributing towards this fund, which will cover funeral expenses and ultimately look to raise finances to help Siya’s family with their future living expenses - such as Sibusiso’s education. It will also go to the completion of Siya’s vision of the building in Lakeview, which will eventually serve as a church and a center that will bring education, food, and medical programs to Lakeview and empower them to bring hope to the community.