Deeply imbedded in their Christian beliefs, the Voortrekkers, or immigrants as they called themselves, wanted to have their own church building as soon as they started settling in Potchefstroom.
The building of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Church of Potchefstroom in Church Street (Walter Sisulu) is the oldest church building north of the Vaal River. It was the second site in Potchefstroom to be declared as a National Monument on 19 March 1965.
On 1 May 2024 the church presents its 30th annual car show. This huge gathering fills the Church Square with vintage cars coming from far and wide. In true church tradition the expected eats and treats at a church bazaar are available. The first car show was in 1993, marking this year as the 32nd year that it takes place. For two years during Covid the show was cancelled.
The current church building is, however, not the first church of the congregation.
The Hervormde Church as it appeared around the turn of the 20th century on a coloured postcard. In the background to the right is the Landdrost-, Post en Telegraafkantoor. Source: Gawie van der Walt Postcard Collection
The Voortrekkers first decided to build a settlement on the banks of the Mooi River about 11 km upstream from the current site of Potchefstroom. This was in November 1838 at Oudedorp, just south of where the Boskop Dam was later built.
Soggy ground conditions, which caused failing crops, led them to decide to found a new town on the current site of Potchefstroom. The move took place early in 1842 after the new town had been laid out and a furrow had been dug to provide water.
Even before this, on 1 November 1841, Andries Hendrik Potgieter, leader of this group of Voortrekkers, began to send around a subscription list to start a building fund for a church. (Read more about Potgieter at: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-16-the-lost-street-names-of-potchefstroom/ .)
Congregation founded in 1842
26 March 1842 is regarded as the founding date of two churches in town: the Nederduitsch Hervormde Church and the Nederduits Gereformeerde or Dutch Reformed Church. On this date the first church service was held here. Since no church building existed, this service and others over that weekend, were conducted under stretched tarpaulins, in all probability pitched on the old market square, where the Reformed Church and Standard Bank building stands today on the corner of the Retief and Kerk (Walter Sisulu) Streets.
The presiding minister was Rev Daniel Lindley, an American Presbyterian missionary who was the spiritual leader of the immigrants in Natal, the Free State and north of the Vaal River. During services on 26 and 27 March new church leaders were ordained, 103 young members of the church were confirmed and 189 children were christened.
Later in the 19th century the Dutch Reformed Church parted ways with the Hervormde Church to found its own congregation, hence, both churches celebrating their founding date as 26 March 1842.
In May 1849 two elders and a deacon petitioned the Volksraad to acquire a site where they could build a church and the Church Square (between Church (Walter Sisulu), Potgieter (Nelson Mandela), Greyling (OR Tambo) and Wolmarans Street, being the western half of the Market Square, was set aside for this purpose.
With the money raised, the first church was built on the north-eastern corner of the Church Square. It was a T-shaped building with the long side of the building facing Church Street. The walls were about 4,8 m high and the building had space for 400. It had a thatched roof, no tower and the floor was made of hard-packed earth. Wood were only used for roof-trusses since it had to be transported from the coast. The building was taken into use in 1851.
During the week the building was used as a school. Exams were a public affair and the parents and townspeople were invited to witness the testing of the pupils. The church was packed for such exams. Historical events also took place here. It was in this building that President MW Pretorius was sworn in as the first president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek on 6 January 1857. Initially the Volksraad had their meetings here.
This building soon became too small and in 1859 a commission was appointed to plan a new church and raise funds.
In this rare sketch of Potchefstroom both the first (left) and current churches (right) appear. Photo: Potchefstroom Museum
The first full-time minister to the congregation was Rev Dirk van der Hoff (1814-1881). (See my article: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-16-the-lost-street-names-of-potchefstroom/) He arrived in Potchefstroom on 17 May 1853 and served the community until his death in 1881.
Rev Van der Hoff, together with Pres MW Pretorius, laid the foundation stone for the new church in December 1859.
Building was skew
There was no architect, no expert builders or even proper measuring tapes. The building was measured out with thongs or straps cut from raw hides. When a draughtsman later measured the building, it was found that more than one wall were skew! Some windows were also found to be not precisely across from each other.
There were initially no galleries and the floor was again a hard-packed dirt floor. Congregants had to bring their own chairs since there were no benches. The pulpit was built from yellowwood and stinkwood in Pietermaritzburg. It had to be conveyed by ox-wagon over the Drakensberg to Potchefstroom.
The official inauguration only took place on 25 February 1866. The building project was often delayed since the male congregants were sent out on commando for numerous reasons. Civil unrest which was only resolved in 1864, also had delayed the building project.
The programme for the inauguration of the church building on 25 February 1866, which included a parade. Photo: Public domain
Wedding and christenings are numerous
In 1870 a Portuguese ambassador visited Potchefstroom. Fernando da Costa Leal gave a vivid description of the scenes in and around the church:
The principal square of Potchefstroom offers a picturesque sight to the stranger at the time of Nachtmaal (the same may be seen in Pretoria and other places). Everywhere are seen the heavy wagons of the Boers and square canvas tents which look like small houses.
The (church) bell rings for market and also for church. Weddings and christenings are numerous. At one of the doors is seen a long procession of mothers who are anxious to have their babies christened.
At another door youths of 17 or 18 conduct to the altar brides of 14.
At night every tent on the square is lit with a lamp and all those happy families rest from the days’ devotions and toil and lift up their voices singing psalms. Imagine the effect if you can: Oxen tied in groups near every wagon, the white tents lit up inside contrasting with the dark of the night, and psalm singing going on in 50 tents all singing different psalms at the same time.
“The (church) bell rings for market and also for church.” – Fernando da Costa Leal
Rev CW du Toit, who succeeded Rev Van der Hoff, wrote in a letter of 1883 that during the evening service, everyone sat with a burning candle (syn eigen kaarse) in their hands. Rev Du Toit was the brother of the poet Totius (JD du Toit) who was the minister to the Reformed Church from 1903 to 1911 when he became the rector of the Theological School of the Reformed Church. Rev CW du Toit served the church from 1883-1918 when he retired at the age of 77.
A photograph that most-likely pre-dates 1888 shows the church in its earliest form without the buttresses or tower. Photo: Public domain
In 1891 the church acquired its first organ (Read about the organ at: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-10-p/). This was due to the endeavours of the organist, Mr JS Perold (who until then played on a harmonium). The organ was imported from Bevington and Sons in London. It was collected at the railhead in Vryburg by Arie Jonas and brought to Potchefstroom by ox-wagon.
After the organ was informally taken into use in November 1891, De Volkstem, wrote “De Heer Perold speelde op bekwame wijze de accompagnementen van die verscheidene Psalmen en Gezangen en de algemeene opinie was dat de gemeente hoogst tevreden met die orrel kan zijn, het was een uitmuntend goed instrument.” (Mr Perold played in a competent manner to accompany the various Psalms and hymns and the general opinion was that the congregation was highly satisfied with the organ, it was an excellently good instrument.)
In 1892 and 1893 the church underwent its first renovation. A new corner stone was laid, a corrugated iron roof was installed over the thatched roof and the tower was added. The dirt floor was replaced with floor boards and a ceiling was installed. Buttresses to uphold the walls appeared to also have been built at this time.
Later during the time Rev Du Toit ministered to the congregation, oil lamps and galleries were installed. The lamps, sporting angel faces, were imported from Scotland, made by the Saracen Foundry of Walter Macfarlane in Glasgow.
The caption of this photo indicates that it was taken in 1903 during the first Nagmaal after the Anglo-Boer War. Photo: Public domain
This coloured postcard shows the church with the market square (where the Town Hall now stands). In the background the Landdrost- Post- en Telegraafkantoor is visible. This was opened in 1896. In 1909 the Town Hall was built opposite the church. This means that this photograph was taken after 1896, but before 1909. Photo: Public domain
Celebrating the centenary of the founding of the church on 26 March 1842, a parade, which included the historic ox-wagon from Bloedrivier (bottom left), moved through the streets of Potchefstroom on 26 March 1942. The photo was taken in a northerly direction from the first floor of the Royal Hotel which stood on the south-eastern corner where Church and Lombard (Walter Sisulu and James Moroka) Streets cross. The building top left was the old Regent Café and the former home and business of OWA Forssman. Photo: Potchefstroom Museum
Restoration in 1952
In 1952 a large restoration project was undertaken. The bricks with which the church was built, showed signs of serious wear and tear and had to be reinforced.
In 1953, when the centenary of the arrival of the first permanent minister to the congregation was celebrated, a bronze bust of Rev Dirk van der Hoff was commissioned from the well-known sculptor, Coert Steynberg. The church was declared a National Monument during the time Rev Joh Dreyer served the congregation (Read more about him at: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-6-i-j/ ).
The year after the church was declared a National Monument, in 1966, a further large restoration project was undertaken. At the time the rooster on the church spire, which over years became skew, was righted. This is according to the Potchefstroom Herald of 29 July 1966. Rotten roof trusses were replaced. It was found that the ceiling was hanging precariously and needed to be repaired. Cracks in two walls, caused by a bomb that exploded in the Boerenwinkel (it stood where the Post Office is now) during the Second World War, were repaired.
This photograph of the church was taken from the tower of the Town Hall. It can be dated before 1966 since the new Post Office building was completed in that year and not yet on the photo (top left). Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museum
Photos: Van der Hoff – Potchefstroom Museum; Du Toit – Potchefstroom Museum; Vermooten – Potchefstroom Museum; Poen – Potchefstroom Museum: J Dreyer 0 Potchefstroom Museum; D Dreyer – Potchefstroom Herald; Kok – Potchefstroom Herald; Kok-Pretorius: Facebook
A historic building such as this needs continuous work. A full restoration of the organ was undertaken in 2015. At the time the old manual pumping action was reinstalled. This enabled the congregation to still have the organ accompanying them during load-shedding. As in the olden days, some hefty deacons were roped in to do the pumping.
Miss Susanna Zinn, was the first known organist of the church and fulfilled this position in 1866. JS Perold was organist from 1888 for 25 years and was instrumental in the buying and installation of the organ in 1892. Nees (Nelis) Bouwer fulfilled this position until 1989, when his daughter, Sanette Kruger, replaced him and is still the organist.
Photos supplied by Sanette Kruger.
In 2010, Prof Albert Troskie certified that the organ is of great historical interest and should be preserved and conserved in its original state.
The current congregation is thoroughly aware of the significance of this historical building in their care. When a new hall was built in 1986, great care was taken to situate it so that it would not be visible from the front of the church and mar the historical vista.
Over many years numerous restoration efforts were undertaken. In 2016 the tower on the roof was repaired and reinstalled.
The tower glittering in the bright sunshine after it was restored in 2016.
In September 2012 the bronze bust of Rev Dirk van der Hoff which stood in front of the church, was stolen. A replacement was commissioned from Steynberg’s daughter, Isa. This was installed inside the church. A glass-fibre replica was also made and installed where the original one previously stood.
Rev Willem Kok, full-time minister to the congregation since 1986, stands next to the bronze bust of Rev Dirk van der Hoff. This is a replica after the first one was stolen in 2012.
Keeping in mind the historical ambience of the church, the congregation decided not to install an electronic board or screen to display the words of songs, as is mostly the case in other churches.
Standing in the centre of the city, this church is the epitome of how all the historic buildings of Potchefstroom can look if only the same care, continuous upkeep and preservation are undertaken.
Sources:
- AD Pont & WJJ Kok, Gedenkalbum van die Nederduitsch Hervormde Gemeente Potchefstroom 1842-1992, (Potchefstroom, 1992).
- Anon, Die oudste gebou in Wes-Transvaal, Cultura, 1989, p. 5.
- Anon, Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk – 150 Jaar, Potchefstroom Herald, 1992-03-12, p. 17-20.
- Lang Piet, Merkwaardige orrel in Potchefstroom te sien, Potchefstroom Herald, 2019-06-20, p. 14.
- WJ de V Prinsloo, Potchefstroom 150 (Potchefstroom, 1988), p 35, 36.
