Bhengu Research Archive Donation Seminar

In June 2022, Dr. Dan Lephoko approached the Department of Library Services’ (DLS) Special Collections Unit regarding the permanent preservation of his research archive on Rev. Nicholas Bhengu. Dr. Lephoko is an Associate Research Fellow in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pretoria. Having worked closely with Rev. Bhengu for many years as both a member and pastor of the Assemblies of God, Dr. Lephoko has written extensively about him. His PhD thesis, Nicholas Bhekinkosi Hepworth Bhengu’s Lasting Legacy: A Study of the Life and Work of One of Africa’s Greatest Pioneers (2010), and his monograph, Nicholas Bhekinkosi Hepworth Bhengu’s Lasting Legacy: World’s Best Black Soul Crusader (2018), are both housed at the DLS.

Rev. Nicholas Bhengu was one of the most influential twentieth-century Pentecostal church leaders in South Africa, often referred to as the “Black Billy Graham of Africa.” As the founder of the Back to God Crusade in the 1950s, he left a lasting legacy across Africa as an apostle, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. A religious visionary, Bhengu combined evangelism with development and championed non-denominationalism, self-sustainability, and material independence within the Assemblies of God ministry.

The Bhengu Research Archive, now housed in Special Collections, includes personal documents belonging to Rev. Bhengu as well as recorded interviews with family members and prominent religious leaders from the Assemblies of God and other denominations across South Africa and neighbouring countries.

On 19 March 2025, the Special Collections Unit hosted a seminar in the Merensky 2 Library Auditorium to celebrate the donation. Emeritus Professor P.J.G. Meiring from Religion Studies delivered a talk titled My Friend, Dr. Dan Lephoko, the Evergreen Theologian, reflecting on his longstanding friendship with Dr. Lephoko. Dr. Lephoko also shared insights into his research and work on Rev. Bhengu, captivating the audience with his passion for the subject.

The DLS was honoured to welcome members of both the Bhengu and Lephoko families, including Rev. Bhengu’s daughter, Ms. Dawn Bhengu.

The Special Collections Unit is privileged to steward this valuable archive and is committed to preserving and providing access to it for generations to come.