Nederduitsh Hervormde Church – oldest church is a historic gem
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...
1 Calderbank Lane – 82 years old, but more beautiful than ever
If Potchefstroom was a medieval town in Europe, the Tudor-style residence in Calderbank Lane near the Dam would be its manor house or castle. Built in 1942 by a well-known businessmen of Potchefstroom, Mr Hugh Calderbank, this Tudor-style house, right next to the...
Siege of the Potchefstroom Fort – a story of sorrow from long ago
The misfortune of more than 320 people who for almost three months were trapped in an area of 25 X 25 m (440m), is one of the great heart-breaking stories of Potchefstroom. It was during the First War of Independence (1880-1881). The event is known as the Siege of the...
New Year’s Eve murder
Potchefstroom experienced its post festive season slump in the first week of January 1913, 101 years ago, when a Special Edition of the Potchefstroom Herald shocked the residents from their stupor. I wrote an article about this for the Centenary Edition of the Herald,...
Cronjé Lemmer – super-talented fashion designer and artist
Soft spoken, humble and with expressive blue eyes, Cronjé Lemmer is one of the most talented artists that is a Potchefstroom legend. For many decades he was the preferred fashion designer for the wives of political giants and other celebrities. In August 2023 a book...
Wendri Eloff – vier dekades diens aan bejaardes
As daar een mens in Potchefstroom is wat gesorg het dat Potchefstroom anders lyk as voor sy op die toneel verskyn het, is dit Wendri Eloff. Sy het aan die einde van Oktober 2023 afgetree as direkteur van die Potchefstroomse Dienssentrum vir Bejaardes na ’n...
The auditorium that almost was not
After the magnificent concert on Sunday, 8 October, performed by a combined NWU Symphony Orchestra, the Rhapsody Orchestra from Bloemfontein and the North West Youth Orchestra, accompanied by the NWU Choir and the NWU Serenaders, I again realised what an absolute gem...
LJ du Plessis – Bybelvertalers se steunpilaar
Enkele dae gelede, op 27 Augustus, is die amptelike ontvangs van die eerste Bybel in Afrikaans negentig jaar gelede gevier. Dis alombekend dat prof JD du Toit, of Totius soos hy beter bekend is, een van die vyf eindvertalers van die Bybel is. Wat egter minder bekend...
Beauty from a bygone era – 5 Nieuwe Street
The house conjures up visions of the giggles of little girls in starched dresses from more than a century ago running in the wide corridor. Under a large tree a child-size table stands with a white starched table cloth and children gather around the table to sip tea...
The early history of car dealers in Potchefstroom
Marrying a man whose first passion is cars, I was immersed in the history of motor vehicles since we met. Hence, the history of the automotive businesses in Potchefstroom interested me. My husband, Hans, and one of his fellow car-enthusiasts, Dr Dennis du Toit,...