In September of 2021, history was made for the IPHC! One of South Africa’s conferences elected a woman as their Bishop (Conference Superintendent). Dr. Thandi Ngema was the first woman elected to this position in all of South Africa. This is groundbreaking!
Bishop Thandi Ngema
Bishop Joel Dibetsoe, National Overseer of the Pentecostal Holiness Church in South Africa, shared this about Bishop Ngema upon her election: “We thank God for this development as it is helping the church against patriarchal stereotypes. The church has been subtly disregarding the important role played by our women. I am seeing this as breaking and shattering the stereotypes that have plagued us for so long.”
Bishop Talmadge Gardner, Director of World Missions Ministries, shared this about Bishop Ngema of South Africa: “I think Bishop Dibetsoe said it best when World Missions announced Dr. Thandi Ngema’s election in September 2021: ‘I must say that her election is a groundbreaking milestone for our church as I believe that she is the first woman bishop in our church in Africa…In every conference where we have had elections this year, we’ve elected women to serve as one or two or three of the portfolio holders. Five conferences in South Africa have women Assistant Bishops [Assistant Conference Superintendents]. This is indeed great news for us!!!’ We celebrate what God is doing globally as He positions women and men to lead His Church. Praying that the IPHC in the US will experience this kind of breakthrough again.”
Our Presiding Bishop A.D. Beacham, Jr. also reflected these sentiments: “Recently I was with Rev. Randel van Nelson who reminded me that Dr. Thandi Ngema was the first woman bishop of a Pentecostal Holiness Church of South Africa conference. I wanted to share that news again with the IPHC global family and express thanks to the Holy Spirit for raising up anointed women to serve as leaders. I view this as a continuation of the prophecy of Joel 2:28, 29 that was fulfilled in Acts 2 and continues to be fulfilled in each generation.”
Bishop Ngema attended the University of Zululand, earning two degrees, received her Master’s Degree in Education at the University of Orange Free State, and then obtained her doctorate at the University of Zululand. She previously taught at the high school level and is currently a lecturer at the University of Zululand. She is an ordained minister and a pastor’s wife in the Pentecostal Holiness Church. Bishop Ngema also serves as a marriage officer, a Commissioner of Oaths, a principal at Miracle Bible Training Centre, and as the Women’s Ministry Director in KwaZulu-Natal and the Pentecostal Holiness Church in South Africa. She is indeed a well-respected and valuable member of the IPHC. Dr. Bishop Thandi Ngema is married to Bishop Themba Ngema, and they have three children: Nomonde, Thembelihle, Lindelwe, and one grandchild, Zuko.
