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Through war and worship: A church's 135-year story
In the seventh edition of Echoes of Krugersdorp, the Krugersdorp News explores the history of the town's oldest surviving church.
Recently, the News, together with the Krugersdorp Heritage Association (KHA), revisited some of the past events and remarkable buildings that hold deep historical significance in our town.
• Also read: A burning passion: The story of Krugersdorp's fire station
KHA co-founder Jaco Mattheyse explained that before 1890, members of the Dutch Reformed Church (NG Kerk) in the Krugersdorp area were served by the Pretoria congregation. However, with the establishment of Krugersdorp during the early days of the Witwatersrand gold rush, a local congregation became a necessity.
'The first congregation gathering took place on 18 November 1889 in the home of M.P.W. Pretorius, owner of the farm Paardekraal, on which Krugersdorp was established. At the time, Pretorius lived on the corner of President and Kruger Streets.
The Krugersdorp congregation was officially founded on 7 June 1890. Shortly afterwards, proponent H.C.J. Becker was confirmed as its first minister on 6 September 1890, marking the beginning of a new era of spiritual life and community building in the young mining town,' he said.
Mattheyse noted that the church initially ran a school in the same space where services were held, and a manse (pastorie) was built in Ockerse Street in 1891. Eventually, funds were raised for a dedicated church building, and the cornerstone was laid by Rev. Becker on 7 April 1894.
The building stood on a block bounded by Rissik, Ockerse, Church, and Joubert Streets, on stands granted by the Transvaal Government under President Paul Kruger. The church was consecrated in January 1895. Among the deacons was T.J. Bedford, who later served as Market Master. The church's opening was a major event, attended by 158 wagons, along with horsemen and cart proprietors.
'The open land between Kobie Krige Street and Bob van Reenen Stadium served as a church square for Boer congregation members arriving by wagon for Nagmaal Naweek. These four weekends per year were used for ceremonies such as confirmations, baptisms and communion,' Jaco explained.
'Built in the Norman-Gothic style, the church cost £6,000. While English-speaking miners may have admired the structure, it also highlighted a cultural and linguistic divide. The sight of hundreds of Dutch-speaking white families gathering at the imposing Dutch Reformed Church echoed what historian Roy Rappaport called 'redundancy' – the repetition of built messages to reinforce shared values and identity. The planned clock was never installed, and the bells were temporarily housed in a wooden structure nearby.
The church also hosted the funeral of the burgers (citizens and soldiers) of the South African Republic who died during the Jameson Raid. They are buried in the old Burgershoop Cemetery,' he continued.
Becker was succeeded by Rev. F.G.T. Radloff from Hoopstad, installed on 17 December 1898. His ministry coincided with the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), a difficult period marked by civilian suffering, British-run concentration camps, and Boer prisoners of war. Rev.
Radloff and his wife distinguished themselves through their compassion and service, ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of women and children in concentration camps and prisoners of war. Under his leadership, a relief committee was formed, a lasting testament to the church's mission during times of crisis.
Radloff retired on 11 October 1914 and was succeeded by Rev. P.J. van Vuuren (1915–1921), whose tenure was noted for strong financial management that eliminated the congregation's significant debt.
'The next minister, Rev. Jacobus Joubert Krige – brother of Mrs 'Ouma' Issie Smuts, wife of Jan Smuts – was installed on 21 April 1922. He served faithfully for 14 years until his sudden passing from a stroke on 29 October 1936 at Paardekraal Hospital. Dingaan Street, leading to the current President Hyper, was renamed Kobie Krige Street in his honour, and a memorial was erected on the church grounds,' Jaco said.
In November 1937, Rev. Archibald Thomas Martinson took over. Under his leadership, the church grew alongside the town's expanding population and the development of the West Rand.
Several daughter congregations were established:
• Roodepoort – 1905
• Magaliesburg – 1910
• Randpoort (later Randgate) – 1918
• Burgershoop (later Krugersdorp-West, and eventually Suiderlig) – 1920
• Krugersdorp-Noord – 1943
'The appointment of Rev. C.C. van Dyk as the first co-minister on 29 November 1941 was another milestone. He later became the first minister of the newly formed Krugersdorp-Noord congregation in 1944. During this time, the Krugersdorp congregation remained at the forefront of Christian outreach, education, and social services. Thanks to ministers like Rev.
Martinson, the congregation contributed significantly to mission work, poverty relief, Sunday schools, church associations and Christian education,' he said.
By 1952, the mother congregation had around 1,350 members, led by a church council of 56 elders and deacons. In October 1951, Prop. T.J. Hanekom was appointed co-minister, followed by others such as P.W. Marais (1954–1955) and Pieter Willem Marais (1962–1964).
Mattheyse added that the church underwent extensive renovations between 1960 and 1961. The corrugated iron roof was replaced with slate, the tower was modified for structural stability, resulting in the removal of the original Victorian cast-iron weather vane, and the interior was updated with new ceilings beneath the hammer beam trusses and a full repaint. The original organ loft above the pulpit remains visible today.
'In the 1950s and 1960s, the church used a house near the corner of Kruger and Luipaard Streets as a manse. Like many inner-city congregations, Krugersdorp saw a decline in membership during the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st, due to urban migration, demographic shifts and changing community dynamics. In 2010, the congregation merged with the neighbouring Luipaardsvlei congregation, marking the end of a significant chapter in local church history.
Today, the church hall serves the Krugersdorp community as the Tower of Life, a shelter for the homeless,' Jaco concluded.
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