The Mar Thoma members living in and around South Africa and other Sothern African countries came together under the banner of Mar Thoma Congregation in the year 2000 and in the year April 2002 the church was elevated to the position of a parish by the Episcopal Synod and was named Emmanuel Mar Thoma Church of Southern Africa under the Kottayam- Kochi diocese. Later in the year 2005 Church was able to purchase a piece of land with buildings which was then dedicated as the present Mar Thoma Centre and Parsonage in Pretoria. At present there are 170(approx.) families spread over in South Africa and in neighboring countries Botswana and Lesotho.