Career
Born at Witbank in October 1948, he died in Johannesburg on 27 September 2008. Beetge began a career in the commercial world, becoming, in his late 20s, company secretary of Imperial Chemical Industries (a computer consultancy) in South Africa. He had qualified through the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators.
He commenced theological training at Street Paul’s Theological College in Grahamstown, subsequently earning bachelor and honour degrees in theology at the University of South Africa.
He obtained a master’s degree in theology from the University of Natal. Beetge was ordained as a priest in 1981.
He served in various churches before being made vicar general, and later bishop, of the new Diocese of South Eastern Transvaal in 1990, which from 1998 became known as the Diocese of the Highveld. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba characterised him as "an outstanding and exemplary leader” of the church.
